Stone Soup Plans Underway

Farmer’s Markets are often an important event in a city or town. Madison, St. Paul and even Barron have successful markets that are well attended. At the Transition Initiative open space meetings held this winter, there was interest in having a Farmer’s Market. A group of us discussed all the features that make a good market: seeing your friends, getting vegetables and local products, maybe a good cup of coffee and something to eat. When we were done, we asked the two farmers who were there, who already sell to Farmers Markets, if they would come and sell. “No,” was the answer. We are too small an area. The discussion that followed is what eventually became the proposed Stone Soup Project.

Do you know the story of Stone Soup? A shortened version goes something like this:

Once upon a time, several soldiers came to a town and knocked on doors and asked for something to eat. Fearful, the townspeople said no. One of the soldiers had an idea. “Can I borrow a big pot?” he asked at one farm. With the pot, he went to the town center and built a fire and filled the pot with water. While several of the townspeople watched, he added a clean stone to the pot.  A curious boy who was watching, asked what the soldier was doing. “I am making my grandmother’s famous stone soup,” he said. “Its edible like this, but its much better with a little salt and pepper.” The little boy ran home and came back with salt and pepper. More people gathered around. “Yum,” said the soldier, “It’s really fine just like this but my grandmother added some onions and then it was really good.” A woman came forward. “Well,” she said, “I guess I could spare a few onions.” Quickly the other people came forward with ingredients for the soup and together everyone enjoyed a meal, made new friends and realized they had a bountiful community.