Farmers Market

I love it
I grew up in the country
on 5 acres of land
and we had a garden
a huge garden
of
okra
squash
cucumbers
watermelons
green beans
snap peas
jalapenos
green peppers
all kinds of peppers
tomatoes
not just your regular
Beefeaters Toms
but
cherry toms
pear toms
grape toms
and then romas

I love the yellow
pear tomatoes

and on 2 of the acres
we grew corn
and there was a large
peanut crop in another spot

we had chickens
and roosters
many different kinds
and I was so young
I don't remember
the kinds
but I would if I saw them

we had rabbits
I played with them
petted them
fed them

and then my dad
would string them up
and butcher them
in front of me
and save the skins
to be tanned later

we had a steer
that my dad
had intentions
of feeding
until he could be
made into steaks
roasts, and hamburger

the steer was like
a big dog
that my brothers
played with all the time

we had pigs
sows in fact
that my brother
raised as part of FFA
and we were out
in the cold one weekend
building a pig barn
so they wouldn't freeze
when they had their piglets

my dad had an old John Deere tractor
that he loved going out
and plowing
or dragging
railroad cross ties
to make his "ranch"
fence
with the crossties
as posts
and 2 x 12s
as the rails
it was gorgeous
when he was done
after 2 years of building it

we had winter wheat one year
it was fun to run around in
and hide from the dog
or mother or daddy
or my brothers

I had a pony
named Baby Doll
She liked to buck me off
(explains alot doesn't it? lol)
she looked like a welch pony
but she was only half welch
I don't remember the other half
but it was one that
explained her stubborness
and it wasn't a mule mix
she was very ornery
and loved to eat cucumbers
that had grown too big for us to eat
one day I gave her
a jalepeno
that had grown too big
and she whinnied
ran to the water trough
and put her head into it
up to her eyes

She had a colt once
and a few days after she had it
we had a storm
and the next morning
the colt was dead
my mother and brothers
buried it
before I could see
what had happened
I think the lightning scared
Baby Doll and the colt
and I think she got
caught in the electric fence
(pre-ranch fence)

all these memories
have been coming up
because I have been
shopping at the farmers market
for the last month or so
and the wonderful
taste of home grown veggies
and melons
have had me wishing
for a garden of my own

I have always like working outside
whether married or single
it was me who was the main one
who mowed, weed eated, edged, watered
and took care in general
of the yard
I have had huge flower gardens
and vegetable gardens
and the last few years
I have been in an apartment
and not had to mow a yard
in about 2 years
Some days
when I come home
and the mowers have been here
it is such a relief
that I didn't have to do it
and I like to brag
that I "mowed" that day
and that my friends should come
hang out in my freshly cut yard.
It has taken awhile
but part of me misses it
the feeling of a job well done
and sitting out in a yard
as the sun sets
watching the fireflies come out
and feeling like a kid
with great wonderment
and excitement at the sight
of each one.

Then again
a garden would be preferred

I hope I have that chance again
before I am not able to
get down and dirty
in the garden.

If not, I will shop
at the Farmer's Market
from now on...