It’s been years since I’ve spent Mother’s Day with Mom. Even if I took off a week from market for this esteemed Hallmark holiday, I wouldn’t be showing up at her house with a card, flowers, and reservations for brunch. Mom is a quilter and Mother’s Day weekend is when her favorite quilt retreat takes place. It’s been shelved for two years due to the pandemic. Her kids fledged the nest long ago. This is her time. Our family is not caught up on specific dates so we’ll celebrate later next week with cards, flowers, and a nice dinner. Seriously, who goes out to eat when their daughter has a farm and goes to one of the best markets in the mid-Atlantic?

Prior to year round market, Mother’s Day was always the kickoff for my market season. If I was lucky, I got a card for being a step-mother, but we all know the trope—the evil one who made their daughter slave away. That was me. Out of bed at 0-dark thirty to load up and drive to the city for the day.

I take comfort though, because I’m not the only one to drag my kid to market over the years. Last week in the eBlast I read where a vendor’s child is graduating from high school. This may sound like a regular occurrence this time of year, but we’ve all watched Wyatt Olson show up at the market year after year with his mother, Nicole of Two Acre Farm. He was a little kid only last week, right? Where do the years go?

Farming and farmers markets have been the perfect combination for women and their children for millennia. For many, it comes down to childcare. As of this year, the national average of a woman’s salary spent on childcare is 31%. That may not have much of an impact on mothers in executive and professional positions, but the average income for women in the United States is just a bit over $25,000 a year. Take out a third for the babysitter and you see why everyone wants to nationalize childcare. I’ve heard it many times over from other women in my vocation as a farmer, “It’s hard work, but at least I’m with my children.” And so we bring them to market.

Get to know your vendors and you’ll find there are a number of mother/children combinations at the market. You might not recognize them, because some of the kids are now grown and stepping into their mother’s shoes at the farm. While her kids weren’t little when I first met them, Cathy at Springfield Farm was flanked by her daughters most weekends. You couldn’t miss them in the winter with their matching camouflage insulated coveralls. Kids graduating from high school and college—yay! Kids taking over the family farm as the 17th generation—awesome!! Talk about celebrating Mother’s Day.

Not all mothers are the ones dragging their kids to market with them. Sometimes it’s the other way around.

I wonder if Momma Rossa planned on slinging wood-fired pizza for her son after retirement? Yes, that smiling face out the window of the Cipolla Rossa food truck is none other than Josh’s mom. He won’t have far to walk on Sunday to pick up a bouquet of flowers and take them to her.

Having my own mother help me at market may sound nice, but we tried that once years ago when she watched my stand while I walked away for a few minutes. I came back to a line. Mom had never worked retail, let alone figured out how much per pound to charge someone for a chunk of meat. She’ll take a needle and thread over handling livestock.

Throughout the years I’ve encountered many mother/children combinations as fellow vendors at the market. Yes, I know dads bring their kids to market, too, but you got your shout-outs in Dishing the Dirt last Father’s Day. Farming and market life have always been family affairs for many. Get to know your vendors and see how many you find. And of course, Happy Mother’s Day!

Market Mothers

Growing Up

Local Means Seasonal