The Story of the Farmer and the Hat

A farmer at our local Farmer’s Market had a blanket laid out on the ground, filled with wonderful vegetables, some in baskets, some just in piles.He was there to be rewarded for his labors. The vegetables weren’t for free. Only he wasn't dictating the price. He truly let go. He wanted his vegetables to go to as many good homes as possible and give all the nourishment they were made for.
I held up a giant zucchini, and I asked him how much.The man smiled and said, "It's by the hat. It's the hat method." I didn’t know what he was talking about.He pointed to a big old farmer's type hat, filled with dollar bills, that sat on the edge of the blanket. “You just put in what feels right to you,” he said."Give me an idea," I said."Oh, no," he said, "then it wouldn't be by the hat."
He truly offered his vegetables for what people had in their hearts to pay. He was not attached. He really wasn't. He didn't even stay around. And he was so generous with the sweep of his hand that I had such a different feeling. I felt that I had been given a great gift, and, with all my heart, I wanted to pay him enough.