Small Town Living

Our Monday harvest took place in 

a different garden

Small town living at it's finest.

 A friend told us about a place where we could pick blackberries. We pulled up to a brick home and parked in the driveway. I was a bit confused. My friend got out of her car, walked up to the front door and knocked. Out came a retired couple. 

"The blackberries are not ripe today, try again tomorrow." The man said.

We had two cars full of children anticipating a garden, so, we got out anyway. I was intrigued, I wanted to see this man's garden. 

We followed the man as he gave us and the children a tour. Peach trees, tomatoes, blackberries, roses, lettuce, radishes, squash...you name it, it was there. He allowed each child to pick a peach or two from his trees, they devoured them instantly. We walked by his blackberry bushes and found a ripe one here and there, devoured those too. Eli was in little boy heaven. The children walked with peach pits in their sticky hands and asked the man, "where's your trash can?" He replied, "oh, the pits are biodegradable, just throw them on the ground. They will break down or the birds will enjoy them." Eli tossed his peach pit on the ground. I was picking his brain with gardening questions...

"How do you keep the birds from eating your peaches?"

"How do you control squash bugs?"

"Tell me about growing blackberries."

Then, we walked by his knockout rose bushes. He gave us all one to take home. We followed him to his barn where he opened his icebox and gave each of the children a rootbeer. Eli sat on his small tractor with his cousin while they inhaled the soda. 

The garden visit ended at the end of the man's property. His fruit stand where he sells his bounty. Baskets full of peaches and red potatoes and squash. Elephant garlic hanging from twine. A basket of just picked organic peaches left with us. No cashier needed, we placed $4 in a box on the side, the honor system. 

By 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Eli had devoured 4 peaches that I knew of. Possibly 1-2 behind my back. I know what peaches do to your digestion, there was just no way I could deny a little boy summers most delicious bounty.