And one more piece of the community fabric in Dakota County, MN. has just been torn. The bi-monthly Fahey consignment auction (I often called it the “buy-monthly” as it was a main source of equipment and tools for Gardens of Eagan for thirty+ years) has discontinued it’s on-site, in-person portion of the auction and is only available through on-line bidding.

Martin told me this at the breakfast table today. I can easily see the financial and logistical gains in discontinuing the in-person portion, the liability, the managing of people and parking their trucks, the crowd of bidders lining up for their  number and again to pay at the end, the cigarette butts dropped and the churned mud from boots. No more bad auction days when it is freezing and pouring rain and only the most determined of deal-searches will stand outside all day waiting for a possible buy. [Read more…]