No Buttons Please

We live about 15 miles outside a big city in a small village of about 3,000 people and are surrounded by farm fields. Many non-farmers rent a small piece of land from a farmer so they can have a garden to grow their own fruits, vegetables and flowers.

The great thing for me is that those hobby farmers usually grow more than they need, so in many places around this area you'll see a sign or cart by the road that says "Blumen" (flowers) or "Gemuse" (vegetables). Since it's not possible for these people to man their field or cart all day, they charge people using an honor system. There's typically a small sign with prices listed and a locked cash box with a small hole to drop in your coins.

Just down the road is a flower field that has different flowers every few months as the seasons change. When I go for a walk through the fields, sometimes I stop and cut a few fresh tulips or gladiolas for the house...if I have some change in my pocket. Unfortunately, some people just leave buttons or lint in the box since no one is watching, but that doesn't happen too often, according to my friends with a vegetable cart a few villages over from ours.

My friends sell zucchinis, pumpkins, potatoes and some vegetables I've never seen and thus, cannot translate for you! So far, they've had great sales on the weekends and there was only one day that five zucchinis were gone, but there was no money in the box. My friend was really disappointed that day, but I suggested she just think of it as charity and assume those people needed a free meal for their family that day.

So it's a win-win for everyone. The hobby farmers get a few extra euros each week and I get fresh flowers and vegetables any time I want...so long as there's change in my pocket!