State of the Human

2026 is starting differently.

For the first time in years, I’m managing only one farmers market. My mom is still in cancer treatment. The world feels heavier — violence, political uncertainty, economic stress, and historic flooding here in Snohomish County have all collided.

And yet, the market continues.

In this episode, I reflect on the lessons of 2025 — not as a neat recap, but as a reckoning. We talk about stewardship versus caregiving, why boundaries are essential to sustainable leadership, how markets serve as stabilizing forces in unstable times, and what it takes to keep community-centered work alive when everything feels complicated.

This is the foundation for the 2026 season of The Market Maven — honest, grounded, and deeply human.

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