Yes, they have to pay the bills and are part of the market economy, but they participate in a gift economy at the same time. With every product sold they add something that cannot be commodified, and that is therefore even more valuable. People come to them for a sense of connection to the land, a laugh with the farmer as a fellow human who cherishes the crisp fall air—not for the commodity of a pumpkin, which, after all, they could buy anywhere.
