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Show "l 847" this Spring. Imagine planting your garden at the end of July. Imagine further that you had to cultivate that garden from the native landscape without the benefit of power equipment and an irrigation system to water it. Then imagine what little you could get to grow being devoured by swarms of locusts, with no insecticides in sight. The famous explorer, Jim Bridger, was so confident that the area was uninhabitable that he said he would give $1,000 for the first bushel of corn grown. That would come to about $100 per dozen. Translated conservatively into modem dollars and cents, that would be about $400 for a dozen ears of corn. You might think of that when the local corn is on and you might be paying $4 a dozen. The Mormon pioneers relied on a promise they read in the new book of scripture translated by their martyred prophet. In that book of holy writ they were promised that God would prosper them and bless d:em if they would keep His commandments. With faith in that promise, they put their shoulder to the proverbial wheel and went to work. It is almost unbelievable what these people accomplished in such a short period of time, with so very little. Others in America had been at it since the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in the 1600s. These pilgrims had a 200 plus year head start and a far more lush environment in which to grow. Recently we held a Pleasant Grove Irrigation Company Board meeting. During the meeting we discussed some of the history and future of the irrigation system in this area. The Pleasant Grove City engineer was present to discuss various items related to the irrigation system as it interfaces with other systems. It is amazing to contemplate the complexity of the irrigation system the pioneers and others have developed not only in this community, but all around the state of Utah. These "Bezzant" continued on Page 3 but most other crops are behind the normal growing cycle this year. Just imagine those first pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley. They were worn out. Their clothing and shoes were worn out. Most of their food was gone and it was hot. Just imagine the horrendous task of starting over from scratch again. Their last home had been a swamp on the banks of a huge river. They turned that swamp land into a beautiful city they named Nauvoo. Next to Chicago it was one of the most industrious places in Illinois. The Mormon pioneers were now faced with turning a desert region into a veritable rose garden. There was no time to waste, even though they were worn out. This would be the place where they would once again labor as the bees in a colony. We thought we had it tough planting a few weeks late by Mark Bezzant It has been a late Spring and never in this world would I be thinking that we would be picking cherries on July 20 and from the looks of things, we will be picking cherries on the day, July 22, when the first group of Mormon pioneers set eyes on the Salt Lake Valley. Not only are the cherries late, I "Bezzant" continued from Page 2 j ! systems have been critical to ! : the development and growth j I of these communities. The i addition of the new secondary ; water system has made the ; use of our water resources ; much more convenient for the j citizens. As a boy, I remember 1 Grove Creek before it was I harnessed. In my research on the history of the G on Little Mountain, I found stories of people being stuck in their wagons crossing the stream coming from Battle Creek. Both of these water sources have been further harnessed for the benefit of our citizens. As we observe yet another July 24, there is much to celebrate and be thankful for. Certainly our people have been prospered in the land. Roses abound everywhere. Jim Bridger would be pleasantly surprised to see all the delicious corn grown in these valleys of the mountains. I think Jim Bridger would also enjoy the bounty grown in the beautiful gardens just like yours. |