Monday, Monday
It has been a while since the chalk door in the Truck Barn saw regular use. It was a regular thing to have a work list posted there so those who were toiling at the Genuine Faux Farm that day new what was on the docket.  Every so often, I would wax poetic...
For those who can't read the picture shown above:
"We like Mondays
Mondays are good
Some don't like them
Like maybe we should
Today is Monday
We work on a farm
Do a good job
It's good for the karm...a"
I include this picture in our blog just to show everyone that we have always done our best to maintain a sense of humor during the busiest times. It is also a recognition that today is, in fact, Monday. Yes, we try to maintain our sense of humor on Mondays too.
Well, at least the day this blog entry is scheduled to be published is a Monday. The day I wrote this blog was NOT Monday. And maybe the day you read the post is not Monday either. So, if it is not Monday when you read this, just pretend it is for as long as it takes to get the feeling of the post and then go about your day in whatever way you consider to be normal.
I recently found myself sharing some stories about conversations that I have had while staffing our table at farmers' markets - something we haven’t done for many years now. I tell the story about the person who wondered why there was dirt on our potatoes more often than any other, but I recalled a few others and thought they could be told today.
You Didn’t Grow This
Once we added high tunnels to our farm, we worked hard to get certain types of produce out much earlier so we could provide a bit more diversity in our early product. This was especially true in June, when the Spring crops are starting to struggle with warmer weather, but the warm-weather crops are not typically ready.  Â
The first year we succeeded in producing some excellent early broccoli and green beans (among other things). As a result, we had a conversation with a person who looked at some of our June produce and was incredulous.
Potential Customer: "You didn't grow this?!?"
Farmer Rob: "Yes ma'am, I did grow this."
PC: "How could you have? You didn't grow this!"
FR: "I'm sorry, but what do you mean? I assure you, we grew this on our farm."
PC: "But, it looks so good!"
FR: "Um..... thank you?"
I'm still not sure what to think of that exchange. But, they did buy something from us - so we'll take it as a compliment.
During a different season an individual was emphatic that we HAD NOT grown the produce we had on the table. This particular farmers' market had rules that you had to produce what you sold. You could not go to a produce auction, or the store, or wherever... and buy produce and resell it at your farmers' market table.
Now, before you discount this story as frivolous - let me tell you that this IS actually a thing. People do that. How do you think some farmers' markets have vendors selling things like watermelons weeks before they could possibly be ripe and ready in Iowa? Well, they have a connection with someone in Missouri or Arkansas or the local grocer, that's how. Let me also tell you that I am not fond of people doing that - especially when they do it in a way that makes you think they grew it, even when they did not.
In any event, the accusation that we had not grown the broccoli and green beans we had that particular season was a bit more serious than you might think. Especially when this could result in our being expelled from the market. While that might be a bad thing, it was worse for me because I really did not (and do not) like it when people resell product and represent it as their own. So, to be accused of doing something I really find to be dishonest and .. well... bad...Â
Let's just say it didn't go down well with me.
So, I made the suggestion that, if they would like, they could come visit our farm and I could show them where we grew these things.
They retorted with a bold statement that they didn't need to see our farm to know that we hadn't grown this produce.
I offered that I would gladly take pictures and provide growing records. After all, to be certified organic (which we were) I had to maintain records of planting, cultivation, fertilization, irrigation, harvest and post-harvest handling. I could tell them more information about the product than they would ever want.
So, they declared that I was a liar and they "harumphed" their way away from us. And nothing more came of it.
Perhaps they hadn't liked their Mondays like they should?
Well, I hope you (and I) have a good Monday, or whatever day it is that you read this! Thanks for reading and remember to give someone a specific compliment today.
Re: "Yes we did grow this ourselves." Belief perseverance is always a challenge to confront and usually a waste of effort. The more you try to provide evidence of the true situation, the less effective it becomes to the misinformed. Time elapsing (i.e mortality) is the most effective way to eliminate misbeliefs.
On the upside, your ability to approach a work week with humor is a gift.
People make the randomest, most ridiculous comments sometimes...
Once, many years ago in a tiny town of Eatonton, GA, we were standing back stage talking to the string quartet players after their concert, when a gentleman from the audience came up, looked at the violist from the string quartet that just performed, and said the following: "They told me I look exactly like one of the performers. Gee, I hope it's not you I look like" (this comment resulted in several seconds of shocked silence, after which the violist said "I'm not sure how to respond to that"). (After considering this comment for a few years, the proper response could be an emphatic "oh God, I hope not!")
Your customer accused you of being a liar and cheating by not growing the veggies you were selling, but at least you didn't receive any complaints on your appearance (unlike the poor violist after his concert)