Athens —
All across the country in big cities and small towns, quite often you can run across a Farmer’s Market, Co-ops and other gathering places for people to shop for locally-grown produce, arts and crafts, fresh-cut flowers, and some of the most delicious homemade food that money can buy.
Having grown up in Athens, I had the opportunity to visit our local Farmer’s Market, and take a look at all the fresh produce. With my mouth watering at the sight of the locally-grown watermelons, and almost able to taste the peaches, my dad would allow me to pick out a melon to take home.
As I would look them over, and pat them like I was taught, carefully listening for a thumping sound that was just right, I would wonder, “Could this be the one?”
With my eyes fixed on the one that made just the right sound, I would gather it up in my small arms, and we would continue on our journey for the day.
As we passed each vendor along the way, a greeting would be said, and firm hand-shake given. Years later, I came to realize that the Farmer’s Market was not only a place to purchase something delicious, or something handmade to hang on the wall, it was a place for people to gather and talk about things happening in town – the weather or a local fishing hole, and certainly a place to see old friends, and make some new ones along the way.
As time has passed, I often reflect and have chatted with my mom about how the Farmer’s Market was during her youth. She would explain that it was a wonderful day to go “up town,” and visit the Farmer’s Market.
All the big trucks were in town loading out produce for their journey northward to Dallas, and all parts beyond. She said that people would visit with each other, and explain how it was a family affair. And that’s the same experience I remember to this day.
Please pass along to all those little ones the memories of your local Farmer’s Market, and share in the idea that this was the basic way folks moving across this land met and shared locally grown fruits and vegetables in the building of our country.
I commend all the folks of Athens, and the local area, for your dedication to keeping the Farmer’s Market going, and I hope all those folks that come and visit will be able to share some of these wonderful memories with their kids and grandkids.
Rocky Richardson is a former Athens resident, who now lives in California.
Opinion
I commend Athens residents and Farmer’s Market supporters
- Opinion
-
-
KATHI NAILLING: I’m not ready to retire just yet — I’m just thinking about it
Retire? Who retires? I have reached that age where retirement could be part of my future. Too many times I hear my friends say I can’t afford to retire.
-
5/18 MAIL CALL: Patriots, or traitors?
The supposedly patriotic racist white supremacist and radical secessionist groups, the Glen Beckian, (fired by Faux News for his off-the-cliff conspiracies) and the NRA/Gun Lobby sheeples who all claim that background checks on guns favored by 90 percent of Americans would violate the second amendment, and, if enacted, would start a “culture war!”
-
EDITORIAL: Seizure of phone records an insult to free press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
-
RICH FLOWERS: The Splash Pad will be an asset to Athens, not a drain
The long, hot, summer is about to set in and there will be plenty of dog days between now and the time the Splash Pad opens.
-
5/17 MAIL CALL: You might want to check those ‘numbers’ again
My thanks to our congressman who stood up for the Second Amendment. They obviously read the proposed background check bill and determined that it was a “feel good” bill that would not have prevented the shootings at Newton, Tucson or Aurora.
-
MAIL CALL: Are the facts becoming inconvenient truths?
I read with interest an article in the Dallas Morning News, May 8, 2013, concerning gun crime over the past 20 years.
-
JOE ELERSON: I’m still amazed at the superhuman feats of mothers
This Sunday marks another day where we give special attention to the mothers in our lives for all they have done to make us the men and women that we are today.
-
JEFF RIGGS: Boy, have newspapers really changed over the years!
How newspapers have changed! And, much of it has to do with modernization through computers.
-
5/9 MAIL CALL: America needs a serious change of heart
When God destroyed the Earth with a flood because of the evilness of man I’ve often wondered what those people were doing that men and women are not doing now.
-
JAYSON LARSON: Pennies on the dollar and worth so, so much
Sometimes I wish I could get back all the money I ever spent on baseball cards.
- More Opinion Headlines
-
Raw: Aerials Show Path of Oklahoma Destruction
Raw: Widespread Destruction in Moore, Okla.
Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma
Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul
Voters Could Elect LA's First Female Mayor
Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety
Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado
Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood
Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School
Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado
Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma
Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado
Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma
Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead
White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media
Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq
Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival
Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital
Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings
