The Great Carrot Give Away Extravaganza

This morning I went to church, and then went to a local coffee shop to write some letters. This has become my Sunday routine. I love it. This coffee shop shares half of its ground floor with a magical bakery, and the upstairs are apartments. Oh and it’s bright yellow with blue and red trim, yes its like an ad for the primary colors. This coffee shop is totally neighborhood place, where you roll out of bed and grab coffee and read the paper, and let your kids play in the play area (their names are things like “harvest” and “zoe” and they play with wooden toys because those are safer (and more organic) than plastics).
I had them fill my travel mug with coffee, I sat down outside and drank my coffee and began to write. I thought I could make it, but I suddenly got hungry, so I went in to order a bagel. I should note here their bagels are made by a local bakery (not the one next door) and they’re called Montreal style bagels, I’m not sure what exactly that means, but they’re amazing. Okay, so I’m coming back out to sit at my table after ordering my bagel, when I hear a man, head buried in the back of his minivan, “it’s the great carrot give away extravaganza” I made eye contact with him, and he said to me “that includes you--come over here” I walk over to his open trunk and he’s got acorn squash, carrots, beets, tomatoes, and cukes, in bins along with a dog, a bike, a table, one of those rice patty triangle pointy hats, and a chair. He gave me four acorn squash, some tomatoes. He then proceeded to walk into the coffee shop get a bucket of water, come back out and wash and clean up the carrots (yes behind his parallel parked car…pretty much in the street). He put the carrots in a bucket, and handed them out to the man at the other table outside, every one in the coffee shop, the barista, and myself, oh and a few rejects to the dog! When he asked me if I wanted carrots, I said sure, a few. He came over to me and placed in my hands about 6. He could have easily set them on the table in front of me, but he didn’t he put them in my hands. I started thinking about this gesture, among the whole event (blogpost) unfolding in front of me. Through listening, and observing I came to find out he has a plot of land down by the river where the land is really fertile, and most of our produce in the area comes from. He just grows veggies for the fun of it, and grows more than he can eat. I started thinking about the time I had a garden, and how much works it takes to care for it, I really think it’s an art form. (an art form I do not excel in or have patience for, therefore I greatly respect those that do!!) This man provided salads and side dishes to probably five families today, sharing a part of him with us, wishing us all to have a good day. We were all strangers, and left friends, through this crazy random experience. Coming back to how he placed the carrots in my hands..it’s so awesome (and it’s the same reason why I love going to the farmers market and buying right from the farmer) to know and literally touch hand to hand the person that grew and cared for your food. Now it’s my job to take it and make something delicious with my new friend Todd’s art.