HEAR YE! HEAR YE! ITS IS NOW OFFICIAL. THE DOWNS OF GLORY FARM ROADSIDE STAND IS NOW OPEN FOR YOUR BUSINESS, AND VIEWING PLEASURE. MAY YOU COME CHAT, CHASE CHICKENS, PONDER PRODUCE AND STAY AWHILE WITH US.
Yes my friends it is official- we are actually open.
Our previous goal date for opening was Memorial Day Weekend, but as we usually do - we did us - and showed up to our own event fashionably late......
ok, ok, so we more or less had much more work than we realized to do to open, and it pushed back our goal date more and more, day by day. But friends please apease me and let me just think that we were being fashionable.
So on Friday we went to the farmers auction in Southern Maryland ( for this Bostonian it was deep south because Maryland is the south already so to go even further south was pretty intense and when I talk about things that get me going I like to use run on sentences for the effect.)
Anyways- we used the oppurtunity for a date day. My husband David already owns his own business and he works his butt off on a daily basis. My "corporate," job has me working some nights and on Saturday days, so the days or nights that we get to spend time together are really special. This day being one of the best. The day consisted of us waking up early- actually wicked early, 6 am. ( ......I admit it- I think that early is 8 am- but hey we stay up late watching Modern Marvels and Pawn Stars. Plus the only kids we have right now have four legs and they rarely cry for food or need to be changed. So bed time for us is around 2am.----does that make us any cooler?)
Anyways- we drive to Southern, Southern Maryland to the farmers auction run by the Amish. (I use the pretense "The," cause I don't quite know how to refer to and Amish person in really any other way.) The place was awesome-
Its a big open pole barn ( things you get excited about) and on one side they had the "big lot," auction happening. This is where you have sweet little Amish children hauling in their 30 cases of onions and other such beautiful produce on horse drawn wagons and people start the bidding war. It continues with a "you name it produce," for about four hours. No one walks away empty handed unless you didn't bid. On the other side is the "small lot auction." This is where we were.
How it works is like this;
You are given a number. We happened to be 2000. You stand amoungst a group of people- ( mostly old timers) and when the auctioneer starts auctioning 3 flats of cucumbers or any given produce that you are interested in you bid. The fun begins when you wait and watch to see how low you can get a flat of veggies for, and when you do win them there is a sense of accomplishment. There are plenty to go around though- so there is no stress if you don't get that first flat of cucs or tomatoes.
As for the actual bidding I was expecting more aggression and higher bids. But because produce is plentiful right now and most is in peak season there is no aggresion in the atmosphere. Now mind you that might all change the more we go to these and the more we become accustomed to how they work.
The Amish themselves were a very kind, sweet, polite bunch and most willing to help. The auctioneer himself came over at the end and introduced himself and chatted for awhile. There is something very admirable about these people and their stance on faith. Whereas I could never think about letting go of the creature comforts we have here on earth they could never think of owning them. Their open nature about their love for God was a good reminder of what we should be like. There is something about the simplicity in which they live that makes me feel happy for them. There is nothing to boggle them down or distract them from the Love of God. Their hands are in the dirt, their clothes are handmade, their neighbors are family, and their faith strong. There is just something so admirable about that.
Long story short we got a boatload of produce. Set up the stand and had our first customers. Ones we didn't even know!
We honestly couldn't be more excited. We both feel its "good," work and that this could be a healthy "job."
The pics are to follow and I apologize for having to send them one by one. Our ipod cables are missing and I am unable to charge the thing leaving me to take pics with my phone. I will post them one by one and hopefully you won't mind my old fashion way about being bloggerific. Ask away any questions- I'll be happy to answer!
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