Farmer's Market

Monday was a local holiday here in Botswana, so we went to this organic farm right outside of town that we'd been wanting to visit. The last name of the lady who owns it is "Farmer". How appropriate!

Ms. Farmer in the lettuce patch. These rows went on and on; she supplies lettuce to one of the most popular restaurants in town.

Neil and Nile with a market stall behind them.

You can see that the picnic table is charred. Also the market stall behind Neil and Nile is on a big clearing with burned poles around it. That is the spot where Ms. Farmer's house burned down a year ago last month. An electrical malfunction when they weren't home.

Her farm has truly been the story of the "Phoenix rising from the ashes" as she puts it. It's amazing: She had wanted to start doing organic farming full time, and after the fire, she built a tiny house elsewhere on the property and devoted all her energies to the farm. Much of the materials on the property and in the gardens are reused from the fire, to excellent effect -- there is something beautiful about turning such a tragedy into something so redeeming and healthy.

My favorite spot was the herb garden. See how all of the bricks are blackened? They were from the original house and were charred in the fire.

Even the pets were lovely creatures.

The ducks were so cute.

And the roses were gorgeous. She had a beautiful bouquet cut in a glass carafe at the market stall. I should have taken a picture, they were just so effortlessly pretty.

The property has so many quaint and unique features.

It was a nice way to spend a holiday!