Sometimes I wonder why I bother.
Yesterdy I shared a post on my Facebook page about the Honesty Farm Shop at Knocknarea Farm in Strandhill. It wasn’t an advert. I wasn’t paid to write about it. I thought it was worth sharing because, despite being well known locally, not everyone knows it’s there. I also happened to be there to pick up some salad.
Most of the comments were lovely.
Then one stood out.
“You’ve just invited dishonest people.”
It made me stop and think.
Have we really reached the point where our first reaction to hearing about an honesty shop is to assume people will steal from it?
For anyone who hasn’t been, the shop isn’t just sitting in the middle of nowhere. There are cameras. It doesn’t take cash. The people working on the farm are there, or close by. They know exactly how it operates because they’ve been doing it for years.
More than that, they’ve chosen to trust people. That’s what an honesty shop is built on.
Of course, there will always be someone who takes advantage. Sadly, that’s life. But should we stop talking about good local businesses because of the small number of people who might do the wrong thing?
If we followed that logic, I’d never recommend a café in case someone walked out without paying. I’d never mention a scenic walk in case someone littered. I’d never write about a local event in case somebody caused trouble. It doesn’t make sense.
I’ve been writing Magnumlady for nearly 18 years because I really enjoy sharing places that I think deserve a bit of support. Sometimes it’s a café. Sometimes it’s a walk. Sometimes it’s a festival. Sometimes it’s a farm shop.
I don’t get paid to recommend places. If I do work with a business, I always say so. The vast majority of what I write about is because I think it’s worth your time.
Comments like that one do make me question whether it’s worth continuing. Not because they upset me, but because they make me wonder whether we’ve become so cynical that we immediately look for the negative instead of celebrating something positive.
Thankfully, I know that’s not how most people think. The messages, comments and support I receive every week remind me why I keep doing this.
So no, I won’t stop sharing places like Knocknarea Farm. If anything, I’ll keep doing it. Because local businesses deserve to be seen, and I’d rather shine a light on the good than let cynicism win.