Sunday, August 19, 2007

A Bountiful Harvest


Yesterday morning I went to the farmer's market in Old Town Alexandria for the first time--and it immediately became one of my favorite events that I want to go to every Saturday. There were all sorts of stands from farms mostly in West Virginia, with all sorts of fruits and vegetables--tomatoes the size of my face, peaches, corn, cantelope, apples, cucumbers, berries, watermelons--and baked goods, jams, jellies, breads, rolls, cinnamon rolls. And then the flowers--sunflowers, daisies, herbs. I was overwhelmed with the colors, the smells, and the tastes--every stand had samples. It was amazing.

So of course I bought a bunch of stuff--I was so excited for garden tomatoes that I almost cried. I have been afraid to plant anything around here because of the darn squirrels. I had to take a picture of our purchases.

I told my friend about my outing, and she told me about her favorite thing about living in Omaha a few years ago. Every Sunday during the summer harvest season, people would bring their excess to the church kitchen and it was a free-for-all. Every week, she picked up tomatoes and corn, and she dropped off her offering--usually brownies or cookies. What a great system.

This morning I found a new favorite passage in the Old Testament, Leviticus 26:
3 ¶ If ye awalk in my statutes, and bkeep my commandments, and do them;
4 Then I will agive you brain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
6 And I will agive bpeace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
7 And ye shall chase your aenemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
9 For I will ahave respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
10 And ye shall eat old store, and abring forth the old because of the new.
11 And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
12 And I will awalk bamong you, and will be your cGod, and ye shall be my dpeople.
13 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your ayoke, and made you go upright.

4 comments:

Birdie in DC said...

Thanks for sharing some of the farmers market bounty with us...the corn was amazing, and the whole dinner simply delicious!
Yesterday, we emerged from the church building to encounter a couple who had brought buckets full of asian pears from their farm to share with us. Yummy! It was a nice welcome to DC.

Unknown said...

You are so cool JR! WIsh we were together to work in our English Garden... overalls, hats and all.

Unknown said...

Yum....I am making fresh tomato and basil sauce for my pasta tonight. I have a little basket and go out in my garden everyday to see what has rippened overnight!

Tender Mercies said...

I'm so jealous that you have a garden! Our squirrels here would LOVE a garden...