Diversity

We had a great day at the farmers' market today. The market has changed so much since I first started selling there in 2005. One thing that I noticed today - and probably an important reason the market has evolved so much - is the diversity of the customers.

During the course of the morning, I had conversations with people from the following countries:

The Netherlands

Italy

Nepal

The Philippines

Ethiopia

Hong Kong

Russia

New Zealand

This is in a small southern city with a population of around 50,000. We're fortunate to have such diversity as it's making our community a better place. A few years ago we had an intern who was from Saudi Arabia. She told us how shocked she was when she moved to the US and discovered that, although the food in the grocery stores was beautiful, it had neither scent nor flavor. Our friends and customers from other parts of the world feel the same way - so they seek out local food that is tasty and flavorful (and also chemical-free).

I have discovered another beautiful reason to love where I've been planted.