friday night at the farm market...

Callaway Gardens, as I read on the front page of today's Columbus Ledger Enquirer, is 'in the green.' I know they have been struggling financially for several years, and sold off some forested, undeveloped acreage in recent years for hunting land. All to try to get back on their feet after serious problems when the real estate market bombed, as they were developing housing options within the Gardens.

So the price of most everything having to do with CG has increased. I bought a bottle diet coke there for $2.50. I don't think they were that outrageously expensive when I was selling them in a booth at Golden Park when the Olympics came to town. When the price was jacked up astronomically for international guests visiting GA in 1996.  So it stands to reason that doubling the price of anything just because it is sold within the bounds of the resort has helped them get back on their feet again.

I was volunteering on Friday afternoon when they had a little farmers' market, along with a number of vendors. People under little pop-up canopies  selling all manner of overpriced merchandise, and probably paying for both the space to operate and a percentage of their sales ..Local honey, crafty stuff, like earrings and necklaces and 'barefoot' sandals (some contraption you put on the top of your foot, loop around a toe and your ankle, to look like a sandal - but not). Cotton Candy, kettle corn,  home made baked goods: breads, pies, cake by the slice, cupcakes.

And us, volunteers for C.G., selling produce from Mr. Cason's Garden: yellow and zucchini squash, fresh corn,  two kinds of snap beans, pretty yellow heads of cauliflower, cucumbers and several different kids of plants from the Sibley Center.  All the volunteers grabbed up the corn, a real bargain at 25 cents an ear, and fresh off the stalk. But I did not, as there would be no one at home to eat it.  I tried my best to not buy anything.  And was almost successful. But I am such a sucker for things variegated. And in spite of my best efforts, found me bringing home a sage plant with really neat foliage. I don't cook with sage, don't even like the taste, but here I am with a plant I will try to keep alive, because it is so pretty.

And on the way home, I picked up a turtle crossing the road. Third one I have helped in about a month.  Oddly - the last one I stopped and got out of the street, I took up to Callaway and left in the woods. This one I put down on the driveway to take a photo, and it zoomed (if that is a word that is applicable to a turtle?) away, so fast I only got one picture.