So I took a bunch of vegetables from my garden to the coffee shop this morning

[Mr.Bill]

to share with my friends and neighbors. Although we rarely discuss politics there, I know most of them are Republicans. Not teabagger wingnuts, but on the conservative side of the political spectrum, and mostly elderly people whose company I enjoy.

As I set the large box of zucchini, peppers, squash, okra, etc on the table I told everyone to help themselves. Someone said "You're not charging anything for this stuff?" and I said, no, this is a communist produce stand. It is collectively owned by all here. They all laughed, as did I.

Didn't slow them down from garabbing the stuff, though.

[PoliticAverse]

1. You could have told them it was free produce supplied by Obamacare... n/t

[Mr.Bill]

4. One of the reasons they are not to radically right wing

is most of them are collecting Social Security and are using Medicare.

[Aerows]

2. You are a good man, Mr. Bill

[Mr.Bill]

6. It's an easier way to live

than arguing politics with everybody. In a political argument, most of these people are seriously unarmed

Somewhere in my upbringing, a little bit of respect for my elders took hold.

[Aerows]

8. Like I said, you are a good man, Mr. Bill :) n/t

[Wait Wut]

3. Ah!!! I love that! n/t

[lpbk2713]

5. Did they at least pay for your coffee this morning?

I think I know the answer.

[Mr.Bill]

7. To be honest, most of them would be pressed to afford it.

They drink the $1 stuff with 50 cent refills while I pay $3.75 for a latte.

[lpbk2713]

9. OK, your call.

You did good.

[Mr.Bill]

10. It's only fair to mention

that some of them often bring things to share, like baked goods.

[babylonsister]

11. Love it, and your generosity!

Great job, Mr. Bill!

[sheshe2]

12. Well done Mr.Bill!

[rdharma]

13. Some Republican voters aren't "bad people" ... they just vote against their own best interests.....

..... hoping that some day they might be welcomed through the front door of the 1% country club too!

Not "bad people"...... but IDIOTS!

[hopemountain]

14. now that's being neighborly!

[snappyturtle]

15. How kind....what lucky friends and neighbors!

[jtuck004]

16. NIce. Thank you for sharing that. n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. Oh Nooo! Mr. Bill.

[Momgonepostal]

18. you're very cool!

[TxDemChem]

19. Awesome Mr. Bill

You remind me of a Mr. Bill I used to work with. Kudos to you!

[NRaleighLiberal]

20. Wonderful! I could say that gardeners are just great people....

but I guess I would have to admit to being just a bit biased!

Well done, Mr. Bill!

[Rebellious Republican]

30. You really have to do something with those photo's of those delicious looking ....

tomato's. Makes me hungry for a tomato sandwich every time I see them. The down side of that is that there are no good tomato's here in Florida.

[onethatcares]

34. au contraire

grow your own in a bucket. It's planting time right now in zone 9 (mid central/west central) you'll be harvesting in December if you can get some heirloom seeds, or even some plants from a big box store.

Ain't nothing like home grown tomatos, raw, fried green, sliced on a burger, or in a salad.

[Rebellious Republican]

35. You make me hungry, you are a tease!

I have tried, there are so many critters down here, it makes it damn near impossible. How ever I am on to someonre who just started both a hydroponic and organic farm. Hoping it works out well for ME.

[dballance]

21. Hmmm, I remember a time when in a situation like that it would be more like....

"You mean you're charging for that stuff?" if you brought it to some place like that. Not a farmer's market mind you. A social gathering place.

It was just what you did with neighbors - you shared the excess. Well, heck it's better than it rotting away if you can't can it all.

Good for you though doing the nice old fashioned thing called "sharing!"

[randome]

22. That's how you win hearts and minds.

Obviously you already know that.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.[/center][/font][hr]

[OldRedneck]

23. I do the same thing

I live in rural Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay.

Every morning I run, bike, or drive to a local Mom-and-Pop quick stop to buy a Washington Post.

I put in a garden each summer and it's way more than Sweet Thing and I can eat ourselves. We can a lot of tomatoes, freeze okra and beans, and the like but there's still excess.

So, every 3rd or 4th day, I drop off a few buckets filled with tomatoes, squash, bell peppers, sweet peppers, and other veggies at the quick stop. It's all gone within a couple of hours.

[Mr.Bill]

25. It makes perfect sense

during that time when the garden is producing more than you know what to do with.

[grasswire]

27. you live in a beautiful area

I've spent a lot of time 'round there, but never lived there. I'll bet those tomatoes are gooood.

[Swamp Lover]

24. thumbs up.

one heart at a time....

[Catherine Vincent]

26. Cool!

[Little Star]

28. "communist produce stand" Your tale gave me a chuckle. Thanks!

[Rebellious Republican]

29. You should have said no, there is no charge or tax, just a user fee.

I wonder how many would have jumped at that?

[Gormy Cuss]

31. Nice post, commie.

Oddly enough, I've had a similar experience with some Republican neighbors and family. I think it says something about the difference in thinking. We grow extra vegetables to ensure that we have the yield for ourselves and our city friends and most years that means that we also have extras to share. It wouldn't occur to me to sell the excess. Either it goes to the community food bank or on a table in front of the house. The money I could get for selling the stuff wouldn't be worth as much as knowing that I made someone's day. When we were new to the area, putting out the free table helped break the ice with the neighbors too. A win all the way around.

[TBF]

32. Sharing is good. K&R nt

[DrewFlorida]

33. That was very nice of you. Sharing is a reward all by it self, giving free stuff to capitalists...

well, that's priceless.

[joanbarnes]

36. Thank you for sharing your plenty

[SCVDem]

37. I long for the day

when you can plop down a bag of bud straight from the garden.

My kind of homegrown!

[Liberal_in_LA]

38. lol. great story. rec

[DeSwiss]

39. LOL!

- K&R

[JNelson6563]

40. Well done comrade!

[Mr.Bill]

41. Thanks to all who rec'd this thread.

It's at the top of the Greatest Thread page, which is a big deal for this Noob.

[emsimon33]

42. Gotta love them communist produce stands!

[Iwillnevergiveup]

43. Most excellent, Mr. Bill

Share and share alike is a great way to go, but you already knew that!

[fascisthunter]

44. most people share

it's a fact, but our economic social political system wants us to abandon this concept to enrich the pew(yes, I meant pew).

[steve2470]

45. very kind of you !

I hope they can see we leftists are a generous bunch by nature