Behold $40. Forty dollars of agony and ecstasy. The agony of paying for food with cash, the ecstasy of eating delicious fresh produce from local growers. I had a breakthrough this week at our farmer’s market. I realized that my biggest roadblock to buying food from nearby producers has not actually been the lifelong supermarket precedent, the lack of nearby parking, two small children in tow, the heavy bags, or the crowds. It’s the money. Specifically, the cash. For years debit cards and check books have anesthetized me to the reality of paying for things. It’s almost painful to hand crisp bills over for anything, even the most worthy sweet yellow peaches.
On Saturday I decided that since I typically spend $40 a week on fruits and vegetables at the grocery store (we eat mostly vegetarian), I’d try spending this same figure on produce from the farmer’s market. This tact represents a more deliberate approach than my piecemeal “hey these tomatoes look good” strategy to date. How far will this $40 get us? Two days into the week, we’ve already downed the yellow squash (gratin w/gruyere), okra (boiled, then seasoned w/butter and salt), tomatoes (bruschetta), zucchini (soup, w/garlic & basil) green beans (blanched, with olive oil), corn (steamed) and half of the herbs. Will I make it to Saturday with just the Asian eggplant, peppers and cucumbers?
Some of the money-management books I own advocate paying for all things in cash. With bills, there’s no hiding behind hypnotically-hologrammed doves or dizzing routing numbers. I buy things and witness the money leaving my possession. The local food movement is similarly about immediacy and transparency. The bills you press into the farmer’s hand feed the children helping out in his market stand. Crops and cash, both green, living entities. Michael Pollan, meet Suze Orman.
Mmm. Sounds delicious. I feel so lucky to have had you cook a couple of meals for us last week!
It’s funny, I have kind of the opposite reaction. I’m so used to paying with debit cards that when I go to the farmers’ market and pay with cash, _that_ seems kind of unreal. I also like handing the money directly to the people who grew the food.
I like even more picking it directly from my mom’s garden, though! (And hopefully next year from our own.)
Cash/currency issues aside, that is some GREAT looking produce! Wow! …More on topic: The Gray Street Farmer’s Market here *finally* set up a debit card machine this year.