They do things a bit differently out here.
Most of the produce isn’t in yet, but here’s where we go to market. This farm has been in business for about 100 years.
At the little table there, you can sit and play checkers.
Local cheese, eggs, pies, and other baked goods, home made ice cream, and local butter. After you’ve had real, fresh butter, grocery stuff seems pretty grim.
Every Saturday, there’s music. Lots and lots of gospel music. You can pick your salsa while being serenaded straight to heaven. Frog jam, Scuppernog cider, moonshine jelly, blackberry salsa, dilly beans.
The piano is circa 1893.
In the sweet bye and bye, buy some of our delicious pickled beets!
Since many people out here still live in the old way, it was not hard to find reference for Gone to Amerikay. There are Mennonites and Amish, and others who prefer to live the frontier lifestyle. This farm still has many of its old tools on display. Some people still use these tools.
Out here, you get hugs and blessings when you go to the grocery. At the end of last season, the owner came rushing to us as we made to leave in our car to give us handfuls of jars of jams and jellies. Even at the Farm Fresh in town, the clerks hug the customers. Everyone is very friendly and neighborly. In all the years I’ve been out here, I can only recall a few times when I’ve had cause to have a cross word with anyone.
Once Peter David dropped in for a visit, and was surprised to see so many people smiling and waving as we drove by. He asked if they were all my friends. I didn’t really know any of them, it’s just that out here, everyone smiles and waves. A black gentleman gets dressed up almost every day, stands on the median, and waves at people. And we wave back. It’s amazing how nice it is to see that dude out there on the median. If he’s not there, we miss him.
If peace and quiet and hymns at the market aren’t your thing, this life isn’t for you. Of course, it’s not always hymns: sometimes it’s bluegrass…
Our entire county has only had a population increase of 500 people in the last decade. It is a very pleasant place to live, if you are self-motivated, and prefer the quiet life. Every day seems like a vacation, which can be quite enervating: it takes a lot of discipline to move forward in a place where time is frozen. But if it’s freedom, privacy, good neighbors and peace you are looking for, you can’t beat country living.
On rare occasions, the town rouses itself for a little excitement. Enjoy…
My folks would die of bliss.
When I first moved out here, I tried farming using only hand tools.
That didn’t last long.
I lost 14 pounds in two weeks, which was great, but made very little progress on the garden. Our noble ancestors must have been made of steel.
As near as we can tell, this land hosted two farms before we came along. Occasionally, we dig up remains of pots and iron tools.
Oh, that takes me back. Not a farm girl (except for a brief time when I was about 5), but I did spend my formative years in the country. I don’t know if I’d call what I did “growing up”.
I’ve said often that I’d live back in the sticks again if I could make a living there. Now, I’m not so sure. Maybe retirement,
Not that I’ll ever retire….
But I do miss general stores! Thanks for the trip down Amnesia Lane!
Now I’m torn between moving out of rural TN and heading for Chicago, or just moving up north to a farm.
If I had millions of bucks, yeah, I’d have a city apartment in a swank locale. But I’d also have a country getaway.
If I could only have one, the country getaway.
Without getting into gory details, I had some serious personal stressors, starting in 2005. If I had been living in a city dealing with all that, I think I’d have popped my cork.
Lately, I’ve been telling myself that in a few years (pending I don’t screw things up) I’d go on the telework program at work and move out where things are more affordable and less hectic. Since I paid off a consolidation loan, I’ve been socking away money for a downpayment on my own place.
Though I do have contradictory feelings about it – on one hand, I like living near public transportation and within walking distance of a few shopping centers, but then again, I’m tired of sharing a wall and would like to have some space.
I’m a decent cook but if I had to rely on eating what I could successfully grow; well I’d solve my weight issues really fast!