SUMMERS COUNTY, (Hinton News) – With spring, there are always the first thoughts of what the summer garden will contain. One of my fondest memories is of looking through those seed catalogs with my Granny, talking about the new seeds we wanted to try out. She always made sure to save me a catalog so I could have one of my own to take home.
As far back as I can remember, my Granny and Papa planted a garden; big, beautiful potato patches, the most beautiful tomato plants I have seen, beans by the ton, it seemed. They kept us in produce, preserved a bunch for the winter and sold the surplus for extra money. My Granny taught me everything I know about canning jelly, putting up apples, and so much more. I remember spending an entire day in the basement with her making various jams and jellies. How I miss those days.
Throughout Granny’s house would always be paper towels full of seeds she had saved out of tomatoes and other vegetables to dry out and plant to get new starts. Being a child of the depression, Granny was a big believer in saving seeds and not wasting anything. Her seedlings were always the healthiest around. I always joked and told her I thought she could take a stick and make it grow. She would smile that special smile only she had and say, “Probably could.”
If I concentrate really hard, I can still remember the taste of a tomato straight off the vine from Granny’s garden or a big pot of green beans and potatoes cooked fresh. Nothing compares to it still.
Another fond gardening memory is of my Dad and his pumpkins. He always dreamed of growing a giant pumpkin for Halloween. The closest he got was a hundred-pound Big Max pumpkin, but boy, was he ever proud of that thing.
To this day, I still soak my seeds for a couple of days before putting them in the starter cups, and I still buy big Max seeds. So, this year, in my tiny garden will be a pumpkin plant and some tomato plants as I try to keep the family traditions alive and well. In the end, traditions and memories are all we have left. Make the most of it all and garden on.
