It’s no secret that I love potatoes.
I love harvesting them – pawing through the soil, uncovering each new spud with anticipation – kind of like scratch-off lottery tickets, only better tasting! I love the fact that they store well – often “discovering” some in our pantry when we’re looking for a quick, comforting meal. I also love their ability to generate an enormous return on a relatively meager investment. Average potato yield is 10 times the amount you planted! For me, potatoes embody the concept of getting more than you bargained for out of humble beginnings.
We are fortunate here in Chatham to have a number of hidden gems in our little town, testaments to the inspired foresight of those who believed in the significant future benefits of community based investments. Chatham Marketplace, the General Store Café, “The Plant” at Lorax Lane, Angelina’s Kitchen and more are testament to the beneficial effect that local businesses can have on the quality of our lives.
Finding opportunities to invest your time, money, or patronage in current or future community “gems” will often pay off in ways you may not have imagined. Making new connections with the people, food, and businesses our community has to offer enriches your life, and the life of our community. Making it a habit of frequenting these local institutions is like brushing the soil off another mound of potatoes. You often reveal more benefit than you bargained for.
Now, back to harvesting potatoes!