Week 40: Harvest

     Autumn is my favorite season. The weather turns cooler, the leaves change color, the air smells of burning leaves; this time of year makes me so happy. And depending on what you planted for the year, it's also Harvest Time. Cornfields and soybean fields are about ready, depending on your area. Soon you will see farm equipment on the roads or on the sides working hard. I never grew up on a farm though. The town we lived in was right on the edge of St. Louis County and Franklin County. Most of the farming was done in Franklin County. But that still didn't stop Dad and Papa from having a garden in the back yard.
     When we moved into the house on High View, there was a nice big back yard. And my dad and papa utilized it for sure. They planted a nice big garden in the back. We always had an abundance of tomatoes (which I could not stand) but also had zucchini, yellow squash, radishes, okra, pumpkins, and some other vegetables. There was no specific Harvest Time growing up. It was just going to the garden and see what's ready.
     It was the same way with my dad when he was growing up. When they lived in the barn on Antire Road, they had a huge garden. He and his siblings always helped out with the gardening duties. Dad told me they would plant so many vegetables, especially tomatoes. He said they planted so much because they wouldn't be sure if some would survive the frosts when they would come in. Dad told me one year, Papa was convinced all the tomato crops had died from the most recent frost so he bought more and planted them. Turns out, the original ones hadn't died and now they had double tomatoes!
     Dad also said they would set up the tractor at the end of their driveway right on Antire Road to sell vegetables to anyone who would pass by. That would help bring in some income. Papa would also go to the local Farmer's Market to buy, sell and trade. With having nine kids in the house, they had to do all they could to get extra food and money in the house.
     I was doing some research on the Great Depression recently and came across a book of stories that were told by people who lived through it. Something many people talked about was having their own gardens in the backyard and trading with others for different food. As they put it, if you had a garden, you would never go hungry. It reminded me of my dad and his family when he was a kid. As I've grown and learned more about my family, I've developed more of an appreciation for gardening and for farmers in general and doing everything you can to take care of your family.
     So while it is Autumn and Harvest time is fast approaching, I think of good memories I have with my dad and papa and the garden we used to harvest from. And with Thanksgiving coming up in just over a month, it reminds me how much I have to be grateful for.