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Greenjeans Farm

A free radical farmers journey
(Potter Valley, California)

The Grocery

Went to the grocery store today to buy a couple of things for dinner.I got in line in the ten items or less linefeeling good that my purchase was less than ten items and bruised that that I only had 20 dollars to spend.January is a tough time for our farm and our bank account!

There was a woman in front of me that I noticed had two frozen pot pies, a loaf of bread, and envelope and a newspaper.She was waiting for her daughter to come back into line that she had sent for something else.The ten or less line is always very urgent and I actually enjoy going through it, because some people are so weird about fast, and I like to make comments that screw around with their heads.Her daughter came back with a gallon of non fat milk and she was looking at it like it wasa twelve pack of coke to one of my kids.The clerk rang it up and she was two dollars short.I could feel her fear and her pain as she paid her cash, (like 15 dollars and then told the clerk to put the 2 dollars on her ATM, I know she was sweating whether it would go through or not. I know that she knew how much a gallon of milk meant to her daughter at that point.It worked for her, but I tell ya I was ready to give her my 20 and walk out of the store with nothing.I actually regret I did not give her one of our cards.Andhope that I see her again sometime.

Jeff & Toni
05:38 PM PST
 
Comments:
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Nicholas DeSelle - January 31, 2009

I found out yesterday that SNAP's clients have an average income of 19% of the Spokane County median income. This was down from 23%. It is too bad that in tough times the brunt ends up being felt by those who have been unwilling or unable to properly prepare. Could you imagine living on 19% of the median income? I sure can't. But millions of people do it, mostly in anonymity, every day.

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