Farm to Table

    I've lived for a considerable time in a big city,  not too far from places where celebrities live, that I could spot on the beach a famous guy whom I saw in a movie, or I would suddenly be stopped when walking downtown because a street filming was in progress. Even though I am not particularly interested in celebrity lifestyle, certain things always pop out about what they do. Like the trendiest things that are on their lists, or the quality stuff they are surrounded with. And guess what, I appreciate this kind of things as well.

    Lately, I heard more often about this concept-- farm to table--in reference to the consumption of food directly from a farm; it is often associated with celebrity lifestyle because obviously they want what's  the best in food as well. And it's true that farm food is best quality since is produced in small batches, fresher,  and often organic or biodynamic (other concepts that celebrities are fond of). In simple words it's better cared for than the food from large supermarket chains that travels long from fields conventionally treated for huge production.

    I can't stop remembering my grandfather, outfitted in his blue garden robe, and boots, as he was tending for hours to his tomatoes rows, or gathering Colorado beetles in his hands from potatoes leaves. A summer day swim in the nearby river would bring me home starving, and  I would run to the garden to pick up an elongated tomato that my grandfather had bred, and devour it while was still warm from the sun, with some cheese from the neighboring cows. So, I'm figuring that eating so fresh was a luxury, one that I took for granted in that third world country where I grew up.

    But now I moved in a small city, kind of countryside. I am driving on desolated roads, with red dirt on the sides, and red mountains in the distance, and wondering sometimes what am I doing here, in the middle of nowhere... Not a lot of trees to obstruct  the view of the desert landscape, so the world seems all mine, and I can fly... And not much traffic that I may become too relaxed and imagine perhaps that I am on Mars, and forget to stop and yield at a proper sign. 

    One time, a patch of green appeared and I saw a yellow sign that said "Farm Stand Open." I am a foodie and food is always on my mind,  so I turned on the narrow and shadowy road and followed  the yellow wood sign. It took me to a stand covered by a white canopy. There were vegetables, fruits, breads, honey, crafts, arranged nicely on a table; a double door refrigerator with more goodies inside, and antiques to decorate the setting, to give it a more rustic look. I was hooked, but nobody was around. I waited, looked some more, and tried to peek through the nearby fence to see if somebody is coming.

    Indeed, somebody came. I could see at a relatively close distance the figure of a tall man approaching. As he was walking slowly, I had time to observe the unexpected details of my sight. A  pretty young topless guy, wearing cowboy hat and boots, and jeans hanging on his loins, was coming right towards the stand as in a duel. He was a blond type, not hairy on his chest, and his trousers were kept in place by a belt with a prominent South-Western style buckle, a typical statement piece of a macho man.

    I could think immediately at cowboy movies that I've seen, but there were no pistols around his waist, or horses and saloon nearby.  Just a tractor and a wheelbarrow. The guy had an impressive body shape and was handsome, and I thought he could be on magazine covers, movie posters, or billboards that advertise sensual shows by the freeway as you approach Sin City. The mirage disappeared though when I noticed that he was missing a number of front teeth, and his way of talking was uncouth. 

    Nevertheless the man was nice and told me a little bit about his farm, how it's mostly organic, but he was not going to pay for the certification because did not want to deal with the government. So,  I shopped there and I will do so again. The produce is great: it is fresh, has those lovely natural looking blemishes, and very tasty. And I've never seen arugula leaf more than a palm long... and eat it too...Also I was reminded that fresh cucumbers have spikes...In their long journey to supermarkets, their skins become so smooth that you forget that they do...

    I guess I'm doing farm to table. Not that I am a celebrity :))