Rural living offers far fewer opportunities for social gathering than urbanites enjoy, a result of a smaller population and a lack of gathering places. And the fact that we (for I write as a farm-dweller) have been forced into the exurban shopping model, looking for groceries and hardware and all our electronics shit in malls and supermarkets -- which, it's worth remembering, are privately owned and thus able to put the kibosh on social gathering as fast as you can holler "Security!"
Not far from my house is a general store that has been a feature of the town for many decades, but its prosperity waned over the past twenty years, until it went dark at the end of last year.
But an enterprising farmer in the village opened it again in January. I wrote about Tim Lane in 2005, when he was hustling lettuce to farmers' markets. He since has added bread-baking to his repertory, and the store features his fresh loaves. Here's a view of proofing dough:
Tim is an amiable fellow putting in far too many hours at the place, but he has galvanized it into a gathering place for the community such as we haven't had for years. The early-morning coffee contingent solves the world's problems en route to work; a steady lunch business relaxes over homemade soups. And the store is experimenting with dinners, evening events when a single entree is offered for under ten bucks.
This is when you really see the charm and necessity of a community gathering place. Folks who don't see one another in the course of a week talk from table to table and enjoy the bonding that comes from sharing a meal.
Not surprisingly, Tim wants to offer fresh, local produce during the summer months, and try to keep his other products as locally derived as possible. And this guy is no wild-eyed rebel: he's as conservative a fellow as you'll find out here, but it's a true conservative outlook that comes from the economy of preserving the community as a social unit.
Others have suggested that such models will be ever more important in this time of crap economy; it's a joy to live down the street from a flourishing example.
-- B. A. Nilsson
In addition to the bread, Tim is serving dinners on Thursday nights and it is worth a trip to Glen.
Posted by: Susan Brownell | 04/29/2010 at 07:22 PM