What really matters? Is it your mortgage? Your kids? Your job? Your health?

They say it’s the little things that count. What are the little things that effect all of these big things in our lives? What matters most?

Food. I haven’t met a person yet who didn’t eat. Hopefully three times a day. Or more.

Do you consider food a habit, something you do unconsciously like rubbing your nose? Or do you partake in meals like they are an important conversation with a loved one? Or is it a daily burden like tax added onto the bill?

The annoyances of dipnetting, the plugged parking lot at the Farmers Market, the time crunch between appointments for all the family members trying to get some dinner eaten, all these can make food seem like a burden.

That is, if you want to focus on that.

But I just can’t get over how good food is at this time of the year. The salads I’m making crunch when I tear them up as much as they crunch in my mouth. So crisp and vibrant. Some of it I planted, watered, weeded. Some of it was given to me. Some of it I bought. All of it grounds me to this place whether it is through friendship or time in my garden.

How did we get convinced that giving up our role in our own food and buying shipped and processed food was a good idea?

Fast, easy meals shortens our time with family. Processed food affects our health. The cost of shipped food eats away at our checkbook. So many of the big things we get up in the morning to take care of are deeply affected by our relationship with our food.

Not everyone can grow a huge garden, but anyone can grow a little one. Not everyone can feed themselves year round on the food they grow or buy locally, but everyone can get a little.

Think about your food. Appreciate the role it plays in your life.

A good place to start is down at the Homer Farmers Market on Ocean Drive from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays and from 2-6 p.m. Wednesdays.

Kyra Wagner is the coordinator of Sustainable Homer and the Homer Farmers Market’s biggest fan.