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By ANN WORTHINGTON
The sun was shining on something bright red in my husband’s garden. Sure enough, it was a tomato.
I instantly knew that this good-looking piece of fruit would be the finishing touch I would need for the burgers I had grilled a few moments before. I gazed fondly over the small vegetable garden my husband had planted in the early spring, and I thought about my own parent’s gardens when I was a little girl.
Dad didn’t have a small plot like the one we have, but he had several rows of everything because that was our vegetable supply for the long, cold winter. He had a little book he used as a guide called the Farmer’s Almanac to help him determine what time of year to plant so the plants and seeds would produce the most for the person’s money. The farmers used this book religiously and really believed what they read. Most of the time, the little book proved to be right.
The supplies for the family that could not be grown in the vegetable garden were brought from town, or if we were lucky, a small store nearby. My parents didn’t buy things in small quantities, but rather in large amounts. Flour was bought in 25-pound bags as well as sugar, meal, grits, and several packs of coffee beans that they roasted. The aroma from the kitchen would smell like the finest coffee shop I see these days in malls.
I always enjoyed the chance to grind the coffee in the little coffee mill my mom kept in our pantry. The coffee smelled even better when I had the opportunity to turn the little coffee grinder. I thought at the time that if the coffee tasted as good as it smelled, I would make a pig of myself drinking it.
The little almanac had a time chart for all seasons of the year, and my parents planted something just about year round. I remember as soon as the summer garden was gathered, they would then prepare for the fall garden planting, such vegetables as collards, mustard greens, turnips and kale. All this tasted so good during the winter months, along with all of the other good things my mom would cook.
Well, my friends, I have made myself quite hungry just thinking about the good old days, so I had better get busy on the never-ending chores. Until next time, may all your troubles be few, if any, and your blessings be in abundance. As always, I love you, and God loves you.
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