Serendipity

I love that word...... Serendipity........ sounds like you should be skipping or humming when you say it......

OK.

At work we order our Hygenic Supplies from Dominion Janitorial Supplies.  They have been our supplier for almost 10 years so we know them quite well.  The owner often does the deliveries himself and we have a chatting acquaintance now.....

A few weeks back he came with the delivery and the usual delivery guy Tom (who usually doesn't say a word) and as usual we got chatting as they were lugging in cases of bleach and paper towels and latex gloves.......  As these things often go I don't recall how we got on to the topic of eating locally but what came out was that Tom the delivery guy grows citrus, all kinds of common and exotic citrus fruit, in a greenhouse in Delta. (10 minutes south of Richmond where I live). 

Not only is this remarkable in our climate to grow citrus but for me the serendipity was finding my hygenic order delivery guy can now supply me with exotic citrus too (for our home cooking).  And he was suddenly Mr.Chatty, so excited to have found someone who was interested, delighted in fact, to buy local produce. 

He promised to bring me by a sample of his citrus.

A week or two went by and I was feeling kind of disappointed that Tom (who had slipped me his business card that says "Tiny Tom's Tangerine Farm" as he is a small guy with some physical challenges.  If this all sounds a bit far fetched check out his web page here ) hadn't arrived with the goods.

And then last week as Tiny Tom was lugging in the last box of bleach - there, perched perkily on the top of the box, was a basket of citrus delights! 

He spent a good few minutes telling about each of the various lemons, limes, mandarins etc..... the history, the best uses etc.... he had great passion for it obviously and I tried to follow and remember..... but I was woefully blank when I got the basket home and Allan was asking all bout it!

It made my office smell like an orange grove and it was bright and sunny thing to behold on a grey winters day.  I ate a mandarin and it was the tastiest, juiciest mandarin I have ever eaten.

So for those in our neighbourhood trying to eat local just got a whole lot more interesting.  I am going to order some more soon, let me know if you want anything!