Community A-Brewing

With the summer market season here, I find myself reveling in the thought of community happenings and the concept of community itself. I feel a sense of community when attending a public market and also as a vendor. Why is this important to us as individuals?

From a sociological standpoint, one theorist suggests we need a 'third place' (aside from the home and office) to hang out and gather with others--a community gathering place.  A hub for people with common interests and likes to come together and socialize and feel connected.  This is essential to us as humans, to feel this connection to our environment, to eachother, to what ever that something is that links us, empowers us, and makes us feel whole.

With this philosophy in mind, a Farmer's Market, Friday Night Art Walk or planting seeds in your community garden can exemplify a sense of connectedness and social networking for people in the community.

It behooves us to take advantage of resources in the community for our own well-being and sense of fulfillment, which in turn boosts the vitality of the community in which we live.  Supporting local artisans, bakeries, grocers and  farmers to name a few, is a great way to promote the notion of a sustainable community.

Having that 'third place' isn't so hard after all.  In fact, you may have five or six of them! Here is one of the owners of one of my favorite 'third places'--the Red Rooster Grocery!!