Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler
“The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”
― Masanobu Fukuoka, The One-Straw Revolution
A few weeks ago, two of my favorite memoir friends, Shirley Showalter and Carol Bodensteiner posted a blog swap where they exchanged their delightful stories of growing up country. Stop by Shirley’s and Carol’s blogs for a treat.
I delved into their stories and connected with my own. I didn’t grow up country, though I often daydreamed about living on a farm as a child. I’d envision running through the open fields and chasing chickens in the yard. I also enjoyed visiting my friend Dawn’s farm where I could pet the horses and watch the cows being milked.
And Grandpa DiCerbo came from a pig farm in Italy and although he never had his own farm in America, he grew the biggest, freshest tomatoes in his backyard. Often times those tomatoes helped pay the rent.
I love country music, square dancing, fresh vegetables from the garden and wild flowers.
No, I didn’t grow up country but I married a farmer-at-heart who left corporate America, and upon retirement began working the land his father and grandfather before him had raised dairy cattle on.
Here’s an excerpt from an essay I wrote:
Summer Fields
My husband Wayne grows organic vegetables, herbs, berries and flowers on the 135-acre farm where his grandfather raised dairy cows. He has, for the most part, single-handedly cleared the land he worked on as a young boy. His four-acre garden is a work of art, teeming with the freshness of green produce, bursting with the vibrance of red and orange tomatoes and yellow squash, and sprinkled with the sweat of his labor.
He nurtures all his produce from seeds, initially planting them in seed trays in our home in January. In March, he begins housing the seedlings in the greenhouse, manually regulating temperatures to promote survival with a space heater, bottles of hot water and insulation panels.
As soon as the springtime rains abate, he begins tilling the fields to promote permanent homes for all the tender new plants in the greenhouse. Using a crop rotation system, he systematically plants seeds in the greenhouse so the cycle of planting and harvesting continues throughout the fall.
Standing in a strawberry patch at 6 a.m. on a summer morning surely must be one of life’s greatest pleasures. Searching for the biggest, freshest berries to pick, I marvel at the miracle of new birth and growth. Some berries are deformed; some are over-ripe; and some are half-eaten. It seems as though the plumpest, juiciest ones are underneath them all, as if protected from the elements by caring kin. They are the prized ones. But, they are all beautiful in their varied stages of development.
They symbolize the cycle of life; the beauty of new birth; and the dignity of death.
These summer fields and all they bear are the fruits of my husband’s loving labor. From the moment he carefully plants the seeds in the trays in mid-January until he proudly displays his abundant array of fresh produce through the spring and summer, he has nurtured and promoted this predictable cycle of life. In living out this dream of connecting to his own roots, he has reached out to nurture the community he serves, and , in turn, has nurtured his own cycle of life.
My hat is off to my husband Wayne and to all farmers who are stewards of the land and give back to their communities.
I may not have grown up country but I’ve grown into country and I love it!
How about you? Did you grow up country? If not, do you wish you had?
I’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Congratulations to Sonia Marsh and Mary C Gottschalk! Sonia is the winner of Theo Nestor’s book, Writing is My Drink and Mary is the winner of Sara Connell’s book, Bringing in Finn.
This Week:
Thursday, 11/21: Book Tour and Giveaway for Survival Lessons by Alice Hoffman.
Next Week:
Monday, 11/25/13: Book Tour and Giveaway: A Life in the Day of a Lady Salesman by Diana Cruze.