As a child, coming to the farm, many games were played outside in the yard and the barn. We would jump the hay bales in the barn, snatch a few strawberries out of the patch in the garden, and endless rounds of hide and seek. One of the most favorite spots was the apple tree. Like any good tree climber knows, an apple tree is the best for kiddos because it is just he right height to get those little (in my case chubby kneed) legs up. The apple tree wasn’t just the best hiding spot even for our oldest who lounge up there like sloth, but produced some amazing apple crisps and canned apple pie filling for Christmas presents. Last year a heavy wind storm came middle summer and finally knocked down the 25 year plus tree off its wood props holding it up. It was a sad moment for all of us, Cash began to cry. And we told him to not worry and be thankful, and that we will plant more trees the next year.
There are many things on the farm that were established a long time ago that we still enjoy today. I wonder whether my great grandparents, when they plopped the rhubarb patch down, considered their great great grandchildren harvesting it for some delicious treats?
As we’ve been establishing the garden beds the last couple of years we transplanted half of the patch to the garden area to see how well it would transplant….it looks great!
The grapevine that has served as a lovely border to the west garden is leafing as we look forward to some fresh concord grape juice.
Last year a friend who had followed the methods of a local small vineyard farmer came out and helped prune (hacked) our vine. I walked away silent and sad….”what did you just do to the old grape vine?” I expressed to Joe. Joe replied with, “He did what was necessary to produce fruit and plenty of it.” I now thank our friend for his knowledge and my lack of confidence because a 5 gallon bucket full off of grapes from one old vine is more than enough. We are so thankful for what has been handed to us to tend. We are thankful for the opportunity to farm with Joe’s parents as a third generation farmers, and we are thankful to tend a grapevine older than myself. We hope that the young fruit trees we just planted and the lessons we try to hold out daily will be gratefully received, just as we receive what has been lent to us with sincere thankfulness and joy.
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