OCR Text |
Show r 1 Lakeside Review, Wednesday, April 8, 1S87 vwwi.w r .r vJw;iatfcait3aa3WJt--y- t Grandfather was up before dawn To work in his garden losing and long Each plant received tender and thoughtful care Stories about his garden he loved to share His family was large , so he had a need To nurture and care for every living seed His vegetables were the biggest and the best And thats what kept his life full of zest In quiet times of nostalgia, I about grandfather and the garden he loved. Many years ago in a little village in the Midwest, residents knew spring had arrived when they could see my grandfather planting his garden. In the early spring when the moon was just right, using a hand cultivator, he was the first in that little town to disperse seeds into the ground. He took special prerem-inis- ce caution to protect the garden against an early frost Grandfather was particular with his garden. With hoe in hand, the rows had to be the straightest. Not v wr e one weed was allowed and the DARLENE MIX Special to ttie lakeside Review 1 wt(raw- J ja grass was neatly trimmed around the edge of the garden. Planted in the spacious garden were carrots, tomatoes, beets, lettuce, turnips, cabbage, onions, peas, peppers, string beans, corn, pumpkins, and a variety of squash and beans. Radishes were planted bed-styin a large wooden box built off the ground. The box contained sawdust in which they were grown. This was to prevent worms from getting into them as they grew. He planted potatoes in the undeveloped village park next to the family dwelling, which resulted in the harvest of many bushels.. Each morning, dressed in his bib overhauls, grandfather checked the garden to make sure nothing had happened to it overnight. Then with hoe in hand, he nurtured it through another day, with each plant being watered by hand from the old pump near the garden. Grandchildren were allowed to look at the garden, but could not go into it for fear a plant would get trampled. r. In Grandfather was a the middle of the garden sitting on a pole was a large house for Martins. These particular birds protect le bird-love- i t ed the garden from insects. On the edge of the garden was a Jenny Wren house, and a woodpecker occupied the hollowed out tree. A song sparrow (as he called it) came each year to nest in the rose bush. He fed it cookie crumbs and the little bird ate out of his hand. Several beehives occupied the back of the garden to insure the plants were pollenated. During the war he sold the honey from the hives, replacing the sugar that was unavailable at that time. Sometimes he traded the honey for maple syrup. When grandfather wasnt in his garden working, he could be found at the village fire station where he worked as a fireman for 58 years. The garden he worked so diligently in became a showpiece among friends and neighbors. His aim was to not only be the first, but to have the biggest and best vegetables in town. Grandfather would pack these vegetables from his garden into a basket and proudly carry them to the fire station for everyone to see. Grandfather died when I was teen-ageThe memories of this very unique man that I knew as my grandfather endure. r. $ des gn by Jeff Larsen r ID |