Farmer's Trading Center / sale day countdown

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  Employees of Farmer's Trading Center, the country's biggest Mennonite-owned supermarket and hardware combined, are feverishly setting up the final touches to their new display area and getting things in tip-top shape for their Customer Appreciation Day, which is held one Saturday of the year, always in October. This year it has fallen on the last Saturday of the month, the 27th.
  Things happening that day are promotional give-aways, raffles, prizes, huge discounts and crowds of people flowing in and out by the hundreds all day long until 8pm. Many nationalities will be present, since this store is in a way the "Wal-Mart" of Belize. Also present will be Old Colony Mennonites from north Belize, Old Order Mennonites from south and central Belize, Kleine Gemeinde and non-conservative Mennonites from around the country, as well as a sprinkling of the Beachy and Holdeman Mennonites.
  Out on the yard and on a section of the parking lot will be the food vendors selling finger-licking steaks and other meats. This is still a self-governed Mennonite colony, so they have their own constables and traffic patrol personnel watching over the crowd. No alcoholic drinks and tobacco products will be sold at anytime, sale day or no sale day.
  Other than that, it's a big event, worthy of your time, (not to mention your wallet) and how much fun it is depends on which side of the restroom door you're on.

The new display area

The public restroom sits out on the parking lot and resembles a little jailhouse with it's iron guard in front of the door

Old Order Mennonites come with their horses and buggy. Old Colony Mennonites can't do that because their hometowns are 80 miles to the north.




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