Last year, I took my mother to the Tet flower market with one simple mission: buy some marigolds. Every year, the authorities set up the market about 10 days before Tet, which usually falls at the end of January or early February depending on the lunar calendar. The city square fills with flowers, colors, and the unmistakable scent of spring.
That morning, the air was a bit chilly, but by afternoon the sun warmed things up just enough to make it a pleasant day for walking. Many trees were already in bloom, carrying the familiar fragrances of the Tet season. We thought we’d be in and out quickly, but of course, the universe had other plans.
When we arrived, trucks were blocking the main entrance to the square. We had to take a small detour and found a side road that led us in. That unexpected route turned out to be a happy accident.
Tucked away near the side entrance was a small exhibition of fruit tree seedlings. Farmers from Tien Giang and nearby provinces were showcasing new fruit tree varieties. Each kiosk had a tidy setup—saplings in pots, photos of the mature trees, bamboo baskets holding fruit samples, and signs with brief info about each variety.
My mother, a lifelong fruit tree farmer, lit up the moment she saw them. She’s always on the lookout for new varieties to add to her orchard. As for me, I’ve always dreamed of becoming an amateur farmer when I retire. So I follow her around and learn whatever I can. That day turned into an unexpected farming lesson.
To our surprise, we saw rare and valuable varieties I’d only ever heard about in YouTube videos. Golden Star apples from Puerto Rico, Giant Sapodilla from Thailand, Brazilian Grape Trees—right here in Vietnam! It was exciting to see how local farmers were already growing these high-value, fast-yielding, disease-resistant varieties that meet the demands of modern agriculture.
We spent hours wandering from kiosk to kiosk, reading the bios, listening to presentations, and joining in the conversations with other visitors. In the end, we walked away with 20 young trees, spent every dong we had on us, and completely forgot about the marigolds.
It turned out to be a wonderful day. We learned a lot, laughed together, and got excited about the future of our little family orchard. Sometimes the best discoveries happen when you take a different path—even if it’s just a detour on the way to buy flowers.