We’ve been reporting on and writing about the Farmers Markets in Evanston for more than six years now, and it is a pleasure to welcome a new writer to our fold.
Anna Wittcoff is a rising sophomore at ETHS who is a dedicated student and enjoys learning. When she is not swimming or playing badminton, Anna enjoys playing the cello in orchestra and participating in community service. She is extremely excited to be writing for Friends of the Evanston Farmer’s Market this summer as she has been attending the farmer’s market since before she could walk and talk.
We have asked Anna to explore the market for us–to speak with vendors and shoppers and learn their stories, and to put into words the impressions she has fostered from literally a lifetime at the market.
Anna began her submissions with a verse, and we think it’s a delightful way to begin our acquaintance with her writing. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to see all of Anna’s reports. But read her poem first!
A Farmer’s Awakening
By Anna Wittcoff
Crystals of snow-covered ice
Evaporating from the ever rising sun.
Revealing frost ladened grass underneath.
Icicles dripping
Buds blooming
Blossoming under feet of tar rich dirt.
Anxiously awaiting the sun
Ruffling its amber rose wings.
Surfacing to open up to the sky above
Accepting the new day to come
And fondly remembering days before.
As winter turns to spring and
Spring turns to summer
The soil keeping beat with the rhythm of the Earth
Orbiting showers of light
Beams of pure goodness.
Then comes the rain
Beads of hydrogen with dashes of oxygen
Hydrating lush greens and grass below
Giving life to anything and everything.
Waking the plants out of slumber
Coaxing animals from hibernation
And awakening the farmer from his slumber.
To grow and nurture
To slice and dice
To glean and preen
Their works of nature
To present to people like you and I
Bringing light to our lives
Shedding light on the essence of human life and
The importance of
The farmer’s awakening.