One of the highlights of the “agribusiness internship” I
signed up for last year was our weekly trips to the Shenandoah Valley Produce
Auction down in Dayton, VA. I think I’ll
pause a minute right here to say thanks again to David at Public House Produce
for introducing me to this affair – I enjoyed the experience so much I made a
point of taking Mary with me to check it out during our extended July 4th
weekend.
Between the heat wave and the fact that it is still early in
the summer produce season, I didn’t quite know what to expect to see at the
market – or what quantities to expect.
No need to fear, though – there was plenty of produce, both bulk sellers
in the drive through section as well as in the small lots area. While attendance wasn’t what I’d experienced
last year in August, there was plenty to make for a great experience.
Even though I only went four times last year, since I was
left to my own devices while David attended to business I did manage to
establish some auction routines for myself, so I’m going to organize the posts
about the auction around that concept.
This “through Cabin Jim’s eyes” approach means there won’t be any photos
of delicious produce today, sadly, but I hope that I don’t disappoint with the
ones I will put up tomorrow and the next day.
So, as I mentioned, upon arriving at the auction and after
we unloaded whatever David happened to be bringing to market (mostly tomatoes - he is the tomato king, you know), I would have some
time on my hands to take a look around while he went off to take care of
business. Mary and I strolled around
while I pointed out the office, the posted auction rules, and while I went in
to get a price sheet from the last auction, which had been Tuesday, July
3. I pointed out the Shenandoah Valley
“Virginia Grown” sign, some of the old-timers’ horse and buggy carts outside,
and then the little board where you can find daily pearls of wisdom – this
time, the sign read:
When there’s
action in the swimming hole,
And
vacation’s not a dream;
When the
fisherman takes his fishing pole
And starts
out for the nearest stream –
Summer days
are here!
Funny thing
– I still have notes from last year’s visits, so I will close today with
these two:
Loving
thoughts are little seeds
Let them
blossom into deeds.
Summer is
made of such wonderful things –
Bright
golden sunshine and butterfly wings,
Fresh as the
fragrance of newly mown hay,
A beautiful
sunset at closing of day.
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