Street Markets in Hong Kong - where fresh is not directly from the farmer



Rochester Public Market vendors, Jay and Dick Haberger with shopper

Have you ever met the live chicken you later eat for dinner? Chad Amsler of Oldhome Farm in Walworth, and Jay and Dick Hayberger of Hayberger Farm in Hamlin sell live chickens at the Rochester Public Market. However, they do not process them on the spot for you to take home to eat.






Recently I was in Hong Kong and met the chicken we ate for dinner that evening. I was visiting our daughter and her family.

I went to the local street market daily with their helper Lisa who bargained and bought fresh produce, fruit, fish, meat or chicken for each day's meals.

To buy a chicken for dinner, first Lisa selected the price she wanted to pay, determined by the cage in which live chickens were stored. After thrusting the chicken almost in our face, the butcher dunked it, feathers and all, into one of the holes in the machine to the right of the cages. That I couldn't watch. When we returned 15 minutes later, the dressed chicken, feet and all, was ready to leave.

There were the vegetable stalls—variety of   vegetables like Chinese cabbage, choy sum, Japanese eggplant, bok choy, bitter melon, Chinese broccoli, mustard greens, daikon, taro . . .

And the fruit stalls . . . mango, pineapple, banana, Asian pears, apples, watermelon, kiwis, oranges . . .

And the fish stalls, whole or fillet—dead or alive, big or small . . .

Whether shopping for food, clothing, household supplies, hardware or shoe repair, there is a vendor there to meet one's needs.

Wherever I turned, there were people, cars, construction or carts. Often I went to the market with Lisa and my grandson. Even though he is only two years old, he's right in the midst, meeting the vendors from whom his dinner comes. What an amazing experience for him as well as for me!