As I ambled through the Saturday farmers’ market this morning, after several weeks absence while skiing and working in Colorado, I thought about the people who have come and gone over the seven years I’ve frequented this particular market.

How many moms have I heard tell their little ones, “Let’s go see Harry and Gene?” Harry, who moonlights as a high school principal, is still with us; but Gene, who last winter declined physically despite his agile mind and flirtatious chatter, has passed on. Their organic stand, laden with gorgeous seasonal persimmons, kiwis, grapes and citrus fruits, is always my second stop.

My first is the French bakery… before they run out of melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon twists. Jean, with his delightful Chamonix accent, has gone east to run a French restaurant, but a lovely young woman plies me with baguettes and pumpkin ravioli.

The kindly Fuji apple vendor has passed on, but his beautiful daughters greet me with a smile. And while Kristy at the vegetable stand found a Saturday market closer to home, where she wouldn’t have to drag along her son, I’m getting used to the friendly face that now peers out from behind hillocks of organic black kale, leeks and rhubarb, despite not knowing his name.

Another Harry keeps bees within a few miles of my home, so of course I use his golden wildflower honey to sweeten the numerous cups of tea I brew throughout the day, thus innoculating myself against allergies.

This morning I pondered the fact that many of these farmers have relationships not only with the hundreds of patrons at our market, but at many other markets throughout the city. They are an invisible web linking enthusiastic flavor lovers throughout the city with each other, with wholesome food, and with the land that sustains us.

Sadly, it’s not really an open market. A Minnesota farmer named Jack Hedin writing in the NY Times today notes that the Dept. of Agriculture, in a concession to large agri-business, makes it almost impossible for small farmers who are subsidized to grow commodity crops like corn and soybeans to grow organic fruits and vegetables. (nytimes.com/2008/03/01/opinion/01hedin.html?th&emc=th)

Is this crazy? There’s a huge demand for fresh, organic produce, and we virtually prevent our smaller farmers from growing it? We’re doing a disservice to the farmers and to ourselves. I’ve written to the Farm Service Administration and I’ll let you know if/what they respond.