The Market marks another milestone today as we finish off our 3rd Winter Market season and head into our 6th outdoor season which starts May 18. Today, on this threshold of spring renewal, I thought I would take a moment to explain to you, loyal reader, some of the ways the Market has enriched my life over the past six years. Oh, there have been plenty of challenges along the way but they have always been challenges well met and all that is left is the "good stuff."

 

As my pal Chuck K always says, "Gratitude is the Attitude"! First and foremost on the list has been getting to see my wife, Debbie, grow so comfortably into a role that neither of us would have even dreamed of seven years ago. Her passion and dedication has led her (and, by extension, yours truly) to people and places that we didn't even know existed back then. It is truly gratifying to see your loved ones find their calling in life. Our daughter, Amanda, has now signed on to local community developments efforts and will be volunteering at the Market this summer. I think witnessing her mother's passion to the cause is directly responsible for that. Next on my list would have to be the great group of new friends that I have made and continue to make each week at the Market. Farmers and artisans are some of the happiest, most down to earth folks I have ever been around. And I count the regular volunteers among my closest friends, people that I enjoy hanging out with, going out to dinner with, sharing a good bottle of wine with... To sum it up there is no negative energy to be found at a Market event. The folks who are there are there because they want to be and because they are passionate about what they do. One of the biggest changes for us over the last six years is the quality of the food that we eat on a daily basis. There is no question that grass-fed, hormone-free meat products, local produce,artisan baked goods with no bad chemicals and all the rest that comes from the Market have raised the level of our eating habits. It has also raised our awareness of what we put into our bodies. Rarely do I put food in my mouth these days that I don't wonder who grew or produced it, where they produced it, how they produced it and, just as important, when did they produce it.

 

As a musician myself, one of the most important things to me each week is to make sure our Market musicians are well taken care of. This has also introduced me to many new musical friends and opened my eyes and ears to styles of music that were not as familiar to me as they should have been. This in turn has made me a much more well-rounded musician. For this I am

infinitely grateful.

 

I will leave you with the following call to arms. Personally, I am surprised at the level of fulfillment that has been achieved thru volunteerism. To those of you sitting on the sidelines out there I say, Get Involved! Pick something that interests you even if you don't know anything about it. You may just find the passion of a lifetime. After all, we could barely spell "Farmers Market" six years ago!

 

Until May 18, Stay Fresh!