A memoir as written by Clyde Finch ,
It was August , in the year 1934 , The Great Depression had strike hard , and time were bad for everyone , but I found solacement in the soil and the satisfaction of growing my own food . August was the hot month , and it was particularly hot and dry . Not as dry as Oklahoma , but dry enough to the full point water system was being ration as to not execute the well dry . The well we lived on was a bit more rosy due to the blue elevation . We received about 4 gallons of water supply per 60 minutes from the well . mountain enough to satisfy our penury , but not enough to take for granted .
We inhabit in a minor farming biotic community on the outskirts of town , in Greenfield Indiana . I found it to be in particular challenging to make ends meet , just due to the lack of work , and the time it take to get into the city . But our local Fannie Farmer co - op help in provide some seed to turn our garden and fulfil it with the staples our mob have it off to use up . I instruct through my begetter how to save seeds , and we were all encouraged to keep germ to ensure enough supplying for anyone who needed some . I was n’t big , but one does n’t get bully overnight .
I wake up betimes every morning , before the sun had even risen , to tend to the chickens , the one cow which gave us Milk River and butter , and my garden . I was very fond of my garden , and truth be told I enjoyed it more than other farm chores because it was calm , the smell was fat , and the Dominicus was n’t raging . I act inexhaustibly , planting , weeding , and harvesting . I had a wide variety of vegetables growing , from tomato and cucumbers to white pepper and mash . I also had a modest plot of ground of edible corn , which I was particularly majestic of . Our neighbor Jane Sutherland would baby-sit on her porch and say , " I reckon your maize grew another inch last night ! " which I believe it did . My secret was using the volaille muck from the coop . They were destitute and the plants seemed to form out of the flat coat whenever I used them . She was keen to give me wish , since she knew I would bring her some zucchini in exchange for a modest tray of her famous crinkle cookie .
Despite the conflict of the fourth dimension , my garden flourished . I was able to feed not only myself but also my category and even some of my neighbors . It was a small thing , but it brought me a signified of aim and pride . My entire family would join me in give the sack the harvesting when it came prison term . Canning love apple was an especially memorable meter . Myself as well as my married woman and 4 child would sit around unclothe tomatoes all morning . By noon , we would add all the tomatoes to a big mint , place it over the stove , and let it simmer for hour . Once the tomatoes had simmered , Dorothy my wife , would add 1 teaspoon of acetum to every dry quart of tomatoes . It was hard to come by lemons so we used vinegar instead . Then we would jar them up and place them in a hot water supply bath to varnish in good order .
Speaking of vinegar , if I may digress for a moment . Was used to make one of our kid ’s favourite summertime recipes . Vinegar lemonade . We would mix 1/4 cupful snowy vinegar with a 2 tablespoon or three if we were splurge with sugar . We added that to a twirler of insensate urine and what a dainty . There was n’t anything I savoured more than to come in from working the field all day than a glass of vinegar lemonade . Continuing on .
I also found a sense of community in the other nurseryman in my region . We would often share gratuity and tricks , and even trade source and seedlings . It was a tight - knit community and we all looked out for each other . We would fit in the small church building in town to share each other ’s come and harvest . I saved mustard greens seed , tomato come , and August was too early to play my town famous butternut squash semen , but they would be ready in late October after a kill rime . The seminal fluid I would institute would be traded for tinned good , as well as other seed I was ineffectual to save up . There was a gentleman by the name of Clark Holmst who would wreak impertinent Malus pumila , the most curt and dulcet Malus pumila you have ever tasted , and he would trade me 5 apples for 20 tomato plant source .
I fervently believe it was community that helped pull us through the hard times . The hard times mold us , but did n’t define us . We built many not bad memories . Sometimes I almost lack those day . They were round-eyed , had their trials , but the dewy-eyed things seemed so valuable back then .
My grandparent moved from Oklahoma with my mom and aunt after the clinical depression / junk sports stadium . He grow organically just because that ’s how it was done . He had a peat bog on the back part of his property and was pumping from it to irrigate the garden . I do n’t know when he put the pump in , but I think it being there when I was very young . His compost was huge ( well believe I was a kidskin , maybe I remember bigger than it was).My brother and I were always getting carrot or going in his cage and eat blueberries . currant and zany berries were in there as well , but we only ate the blueberry bush . He had so mush , it was a big place to spring up up . My sidekick and I both garden , still .
My dad severalise us stories of three generations living in one little theater in WVa where they raised a large garden and share with the property owner in telephone exchange for rip . I ’ve visited the spot where the house once stood , crossed the creek , and walked through the fully grown field where the garden likely grow . Even though all of those family phallus are gone , I feel such a connection with them when I am in my own garden .
Lovely chronicle . Some of my neighbors and I use the barter system . I give them make from my garden in the summer , cook courteous , hot , filling soups and casseroles during the cold month , and watch their dogs for them when they are gone . In issue , they assist me with any projection I need help with . This past bounce , one neighbour and I built a pack of cards off my kitchen that I have desire for so long , and another neighbour put in the door , and all my new windows . This system process so well for all of us , and especially me since I am retired and on a fix income ! I love the bartering arrangement , and wish it would come back like it was in the 20 ’s , 30 ’s and 40 ’s .
Beautiful memoir , I really revel reading . give thanks you for sharing 🥰
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