On our travels to and from New Jersey we had many opportunities to see the Amish traveling in horse and buggies on the side of the road near the interstate. They always seemed to enjoy it. What we never expected was to see a horse and buggy on Highway 411 in Delano, Tennessee, about 17 miles from our home.
I asked a few people if I was dreaming or if I was there in the Amish Community locally. I was told that it was not the Amish, but the Mennonites, and they had a farm market. Last chance one day we took a drive north on the 411 and saw a simple sign for “Delano Community Farm Market” so we turned around and followed it. We even followed the horse drops and knew we were headed in the right direction!
We pulled into a small parking lot that held a less than decent building. There were no other cars in the lot. What caught my attention was a small sign near the door that said “please be well dressed”. When we entered properly dressed, I wondered about the fruits and other things for sale. They had the biggest, most beautiful tomatoes I’ve ever seen and it was in November! There must be 10 varieties of tomatoes, selling for $1.50 a pound. A few dozen jars of home-preserved strawberries were made, priced at a few dollars. I only bought two and wanted more when I tasted the jelly at home. It was the last time of the weekend.
They obviously do not have a telephone or electricity so there is no computerized checkout. old-fashioned have an additional device and memory prices. They keep money under the dresser drawer. No power also means no heat in winter or A/C in summer!
He talked all winter about the little Delano Community Market, wondering when it would be open again. It is not clear to call them. We took a ride last week hoping to see a sign when they were opening. To our great joy, the shops were open and several cars were in the parking lot. When we entered the room, there was a quadrant containing strawberries on a counter with a “free” sign. I took one of the natural ones, and the taste was incredible. I got the reddest, sweetest, most perfect strawberries when my father stopped growing them. We bought two dozen at $3 each, well below the grocery price. We bought tomatoes, purple lettuce, broccoli and white potatoes.
An example of their prices: Loose leaf lettuce that weighed well over two pounds was $1.25 a package. Tomatoes were $1.50 a pound. A three-pound bag of cleaned broccoli was $2. quality of food in any store you can’t touch, but only their prices. There were many kinds of jams and juices. They had at least 8 varieties of peppers, home made, sorghum cookies, peanut butter cookies and white bread.
We saw a sign indicating “animal for sale” to be held on May 30th. We wondered what kind of animals they were selling and made a plan to go there on the 30thth. Yes, to the Delano Community Market Farm for an animal sale. They had community members using traffic in and out of the parking lot. There was so much energy that when
First we checked the animals. There were goats, pigs, chickens, roosters and albino turkeys. There were some horses and buggies for sale and one solitary cow. It was young, and the price on it was only $225, so it was a bargain. We did not see the prices of the other animals. hand made feed and other animal related items, chicken feed and hand painted pumpkins.
So we ventured into the market and we are a pressed people. I think the entire Mennonite Community is expected to be there as a customer. There were no more strawberries and I was disappointed. We walked around and I took some pictures and low and behold I spotted 18 tenths of strawberries and grabbed two of them! We didn’t go out after that, just some potatoes and a pint of blueberries for $3.75.
I asked the nice Mennonite man who stopped us if he could give me more information about his community. I told him that I was a trained freelance writer and that I was going to sign-in to their forum. They were very busy, and I didn’t want to hold the line, as he told me the basics. They established that community in October 2002 and began marketing the following spring 2003. This winter they will be open through December and will be reopened in April.
I asked if I could take his photo and he said it wasn’t his own but I could take photos of the place. The last thing he said before moving on to his next customers was, “Who are you writing for?” I told him Content Associates and people all over the United States should quickly read about the Delano Community Market – he smiled, nodded his head and said thank you.
If you’re ever in your neck of the woods, near Cleveland, TN – make a point to go to Highway 411 in Delano and follow the signs to the Delano Community Market. Ask someone in the area for directions as it is known in the market. You are happy!
Source:
Personal experience
A Mennonite man
