Sunday Reading - There's More to Market than Meets the Eye

So far this past week I have had three local families and a couple individuals stop by and raid my garden or pick up some honey. That may not sound like a lot but that was just out of the blue and all of which I met through the local market. One guy in particular makes all kinds of jellies and jams which he sells exclusively at the little local market and I loaded him up with enough melons, pumpkins and other stuff to keep him busy for a long time.

My production and prices are geared towards my local market because that is where the future is. Together, whether these other local producers and citizens know it or not, we are building something that will hold this local community together in the dark times I see coming. My prices this time of year? Free to any local who comes a callin.

The jelly guy (as I will call him) in particular has a large local network. He lives in a very small house on the edge of the very small nearby town and has a large network. Truth be told he is a very friendly guy and likes to talk. He does have some liberal programing that seeps in occasionally but he is beginning to see that for what it is. More importantly than anything however I found out a few months ago after giving him some leftover produce that he actually turned around and distributed a large chunk of it to some unemployed locals as well. He didn't tell me this directly it was actually one of the recipients who bumped into me at the local gas station that commented on it by complimenting me on the taste of one of my tomato varieties. The guy told me how it had gotten to him. I also know of three other families he has given some of my produce to so I rather enjoy donating to his cause.

I suppose one could see a down side that even in a community as small as this when things start to go bad the locals may turn raider or looter. So for some out there I maybe placing myself in danger. Well I have contingencies for that mistake just in case but truth be told I cannot hide my stock or my garden and hives anyway from the locals anyway. They all know what I got and frequently comment on my doings anyway. Call me a romantic but I still believe cooperation and community with teamwork is the default setting for humanity and rural Americans especially.

In many ways I am betting my future on it.

This brings me to another little observation that has slowly been creeping up into daily life around here and it's one of those that at first many people just won't notice. The lack of traffic has been very noticeable every time I go to town or hit the roads. In fact the silence during many periods is almost a roar of itself and reminds me once again of the silent periods that were so common back in 09. Last night the Mrs. and I went for dinner and a bit of shopping to the largest city in Central Missouri. The university town of Columbia. The liberal democrat and only blue county in a sea of red. One of the three counties in the entire state that went majority to Obummer and company.

The very first thing I noticed was the reduced traffic load on the highway into the city. I have been there many times and on a warm Saturday evening, during the school year, the traffic is as bad as going through St. Louis but last night it was a breeze. The restaurant that a few years ago would have been packed with a minimum half hour wait seated us immediately. Why even the servers appear to be of a much higher quality than they have been in the past.

A one time occurrence? Perhaps but that is not what has peaked my interest this morning as I have seen the same lack of outside traffic here locally. What has gotten my attention this time is that now each and every time I do go into our local little town all I run into are locals. Gone are the days of the gas station being filled with travelers taking up space and getting in the way. Now days I pull up to the pump and actually have a chat with my neighbor who asks me how his dog is doing that is living under my porch this week. I go to pick something up and run into another neighbor who mentions the big pile of wood chips I am getting.

Certainly I saw locals around all the time but even a year ago for every local there were three people in the way that no one knew who they were and around for other business for whatever reason. Maybe they were coming out to the nearby country club or hitting the State park area. who knows? What I do know is the lack of these visitors has had a positive effect on the community as these days we locals get to interact more. Or so it seems to me anyway.

As I said you may take this as good or bad but it is becoming part of my local landscape. If my theory holds true it is a good thing. We will see.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!