BFM Sept. 19

Sun pouring into the Town Centre parkade, followed by jackhammering

 Today Jon and I tetrised as many squash and pumpkins into the truck as we could, and headed to the market.  We have a ridiculously full table right now, and actually considered getting 4 tables this week instead of 3, but can barely work the 24' with two people as it is, so we went up instead!  The only casualty was a 20-lb pumpkin that the chickens will enjoy, or if I am particularly ambitious when we get back from Winnipeg tomorrow I will make it into soup or something else delicious-- he took a tumble off the back of the table and cracked open.

 Shortly after the market opened, we found out why there were so many barricades up around the main floor of the parkade.  The jackhammers started!  Holy hell, the noise that a jackhammer makes from above a concrete and steel parkade is absolutely offensive.  Customers fled as fast as they could.  Faced with an empty market and a bunch of unhappy vendors, I went to figure out what we could do.  Admin office closed on a Saturday (of course).  They had warned the market management of the construction, but not to this extent.  The security guards were wonderfully helpful as usual, but couldn't do anything for us.  So, I went upstairs to see what could be done.

Jon getting the cash ready

 I pleaded with the crew of 4 guys working hard on the jackhammers that there was a Farmer's Market going on downstairs, the only 3 hours per week that the parkade is used as a public space.  It is also how we make our living, and without being able to talk to customers we might as well have not come.  It made the parkade an absolutely horrible, detestable place to be, for vendors and customers.  I offered to buy them coffee if they could take a long break.  The foreman was very nice and we finally compromised: they would finish the 20 minutes more of jackhammering that they had to do, and then they would take a break and do some less noisy things as long as they could.  They were silent until 11:45!!  We were very, very grateful for this, and so myself and another vendor loaded up a bag of goodies as a Thank You from the market.  It turned out to be a great day!

Brimming with bounty!

 It never hurts to ask nicely, you might get what you want!  Those 4 guys may have had to work later because of my request, and it's the weekend, so I hope that they get the good karma they deserve for helping out our market today.  :)

Jon and I watched the sun dip quickly below the horizon on Friday evening.