| Last week I visited family in Portland, Oregon, a | | | | knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Many had |
| city that has been described as a "Foodies | | | | recopies or tips that gave out abundantly to help |
| Paradise." While there we went to a Farmers | | | | their customers enjoy the fruits of their labors |
| Market. It was more extensive than any other | | | | (pun intended). |
| market I've ever been to, stretching two city | | | | It was quite obvious that the sellers took real |
| blocks on a strip of parkland about fifty years | | | | pride in their products and their work that went |
| wide. | | | | far beyond being a job. Even though farming, |
| Booth after booth of beautiful, locally harvested | | | | fishing, baking, etc. is hard, physical work they |
| foods - many I have never before seen including | | | | exhibited a genuine passion for their vocation and |
| exotic mushrooms, artisan cheeses and baked | | | | shared it with their customers. When I realized |
| goods, freshly caught seafood, unusual varieties | | | | that many of the vendors had to work all week |
| of fruits and vegetables, floral bouquets, jams, | | | | to prepare for the Market, pack their trucks very |
| nuts, candies, sausages, and much more. We | | | | early in the morning, drive miles from rural areas |
| walked through the crowds, sampling this and | | | | to the city, then set up their booths, sell, and |
| that, buying some items for dinner, and having a | | | | pack up at the end of the day I gained real |
| good time. | | | | respect for them because they do it all over |
| The vendors, for the most part, were the people | | | | again week after week in order to make a |
| who grew or harvested or caught or made the | | | | reasonable living. |
| many delicacies on display. They were | | | | |