When I lived in Ukraine I would go to the market almost daily and over the course of the two years, one of my favorite aspects of life in my small town were the relationships I made with the sellers at the market. When I got there, I had no allegiance to anyone, so I tried the best I could to spread my money around. There would be four farmers with carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, and peppers. Instead of buying all of my produce from one, I would buy my carrots from one guy, my cabbage at another, my peppers at a third and tomatoes at the last. Over time, the guy I got carrots from became the only one (or at least my first stop) I would buy carrots from. He became my carrot guy- and he knew it. Because once he knew he was my carrot guy, he would steer me to the best carrots- even if he knew his were not the best, he would direct me to another farmer for today’s best carrots. These were relationships that I didn’t know I would make and some of them last to this day. El and I found a local farmers market here- well, it is a little more permanent than a true farmers market, but I can already see some of the same personable qualities in the vendors here as I did then. For some things, it is easy to have a guy…like nuts. There is only one guy in this market who sells nuts of any kind, so he has already become my de facto “nut guy.” Same with my shampoo and soap guy. There is only one. But, when it comes to sundried tomatoes in oil, there are a couple of vendors. However, when I went to buy capers from him and we asked about his tomatoes he offers samples, and throws in a bit extra after ringing you up. He is quickly becoming my sundried tomato guy. Or the woman who taught me the word for onions who throws a couple of hot peppers in my bag as I turn to leave- she is becoming my onion lady. Though it takes a lot more than a week to develop a farmer/consumer relationship, every one starts with a first purchase. Whether I’m buying bananas, dried herbs, or fresh basil, having a go to person when you want the best is never a bad thing.
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