Itchy Mouth Be Damned

As many times as I've been through the Farm to Family bus at local events, I'd never been to their storefront.

Although I pass it regularly on my way to the Northern Neck, I'm never inclined to stop on Mechanicsville Turnpike once I'm on my way.

So today I addressed that with a visit and a look-see.

I liked how DIY it was; a handwritten sign on the door informed us that milk was buy one, get one free and both local tomatoes and peaches were only $1.99 a pound.

Browsing through jars of local apple butter, a staple of my childhood, and honey, I turned around to find "grab and go" boxes.

It was like getting your weekly CSA delivery without having to commit to a CSA and the boxes were stuffed with summer bounty.

But like the reason for my resistance to joining a CSA, it's way too much food for one person, especially one with a taste for eating out.

Or I could look at it as one more reason I need a partner.

Browsing the aisles was a colorful delight and it was hard not to take pleasure in the satisfying imperfections of local produce (all from 150 miles or less).

The heirloom tomatoes, especially, are so gloriously oddly shaped (one positioned at the register appeared to have an, ahem, appendage growing out of it) as to be sculptural; I couldn't resist the orange or yellow ones.

And despite my peach allergy, the smell wafting up from the baskets was so intoxicating that I had to get some of them, too. My tongue will just have to swell.

Hopefully a perfectly fried duck egg over easy will take care of any residual itchiness.