Today was Day 3 of 100 Mile Harvest. It’s been quite an interesting start.
Although we had stopped by the Bayou City Farmers Market on Saturday – one day before we began – it quickly became apparent that we were going to need more fruit. A lot more fruit. In under 72 hours we had gone through half of our blueberries and peaches. It’s amazing how much real food you need when you stop consuming the processed stuff. We also needed more local eggs; no one wanted to go without breakfast.
We visited the Houston Farmers Market, held Tuesday afternoons on the Rice University stadium parking lot. We knew in advance that this was a smaller market than Bayou City, but were surprised to see a fair number of tents. We exited the car, and Maggie disappointedly announced, “I see a lot of prepared food.” This meant fewer fresh produce vendors. Besides, the likelihood that prepared meals would be 100% local was minute.
We decided to start at the far end, where we were greeted by a familiar face. Cathy, whom we had met at a tiny 5-stall farmers market in Needville, TX, was here. This time she had a massage chair in her booth. We spoke for a few minutes and then noticed Gus across the aisle from her. We had also met Gus in Needville, and this time his son was helping him arrange red potatoes, green beans and squash. We bought a basket of red potatoes and green beans, then made our way to Jackie Bass.
Jackie had sold us the flat of blueberries on Saturday, and was anxious to know how they had turned out. Katerina responded with a smile and we let him know that we had to come back for more. When we asked about the fields, he explained that the 58,000 blueberry plants on 54 acres were coming along beautifully, and that by mid-June he’d also be bringing figs. He then enthusiastically invited us to his farm for a “U-Pick,” where we’ll be able to walk the fields and pick the fruit ourselves – we’ll really get to touch the earth.
It was then that I suddenly realized something. We are driven by many goals and principles as we set out on the 100 Mile Harvest. At the core is a deep respect for the environment, our community, and ultimately, ourselves. But now, I see that relationships that didn’t even exist three weeks ago are budding. As these relationships develop, our experiences will become textured and enriched in a way that would never have been possible had we not begun this journey.
It’s impossible to know where this will take us, but I do know that in two weeks time, the three of us are going on a “U-Pick.”
