Journeys to democracy

Christmas trees instead of cars. Yeah.

We’re not exactly into the whole commercial holiday scene but it seemed like a good time to get a little tree to decorate for the season and put out to grow for the rest of the year. So we got ourselves to Ricky’s Flower Market. We’d often passed this inviting looking urban nursery, bursting with flowers and potted plants in warmer weather, incongruously tucked between two heavily trafficked roads at Union Square, Somerville, MA. Now it’s full of Christmas trees. We pulled into the parking spot (bonus) and after some deliberation and discussion with Ricky, the owner, chose a sweet little Dwarf Alberta Spruce (a hardy species indigenous to the New England and Canada area, we learnt), in a pot. Here’s part of our conversation with its surprise tidbits:

Me: How long have you had this place here?

Ricky: Guess.

Me: Oh, I don’t now. 50 years? 100 years?

Ricky: (letting out a big guffaw) Do I look that old? Oh I wish I was that old and felt this young!

Me: Err… no, but it could have been started by your father or grandfather.

Ricky: I started it. I started it 22 years ago. A good ol’ Italian boy. My ancestors were from the northern part of Italy, the part known as the bread basket of the region. They were food growers. (Would never have guessed given the very New England accent… “the paHt known as…”)

Aun: You converted it from a gas station? (Observant man. I hadn’t noticed. Duuuh.)

Ricky: That’s right. Better green than gas stations! Better for the environment, better for everyone!

“I’ve been coming here since this was a gas station. That’s how long I’ve been coming here,” chipped in a woman, holding a pine wreath. “And now I come here to get all this. Much better!”

Would he manage to sell all those Christmas trees before December 25th, I wondered.

A big grin. “You bet! That’s what we’re here for.”

Would he be able to get our Alberta Spruce to the caH, Aun asked. He flexed his muscles and grinned. The tree fitted in the car trunk. It looks great by our bay window, just for a couple of weeks until we put it outside to grow.

Thanks Ricky DiGiovanni!

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: alberta spruce, christmas, Environment, gas stations, go green, new england, potted trees, ricky's flower market |