The trials and treasures of gardening seem endless during the summer months. First we begin with garden prep in the spring, then planting, then watering (with an ever-hopeful eye on the sky for the much needed rain), growth and harvest. But it doesn't end there. We are not a "little garden that we eat on during the summer" kind of family. We are a "plant all you can stand to eat during the whole year" kind of family. And that means when the harvest comes in, more work begins. This year has had it's own special trials though. We watched proudly as little corn shoots pushed up through the earth and then where horrified to discover that the crows in the nearby trees had been anxiously awaiting the same thing. They laid waste to 2/3 of the corn patch, pulling up the tender shoots to eat the kernal at the bottom. We replanted, adding a portly scarecrow and a dozen "snakes" (aka- ripped up black netting) scattered around the patch. That kept the crows out . . . but not the coons. Just before harvest, racoons helped themselves to our patch. They sneak in at night, pull down the stalk, peel back the husk and feast on whatever kernals are exposed. They don't even eat the whole cobb!! Then they let go and the stalk pops back up straight and tall like nothing ever happened. You can imagine how we felt, headed out there to collect our bounty and finding a patch full of semi-knawed on cobbs. There is no remedy for this except a good dog. And we have a good dog, but Corky, our 12 yr old yellow lab, is feeling her age and slumbers peacefully on the back porch instead of guarding the homestead. I can't fault her, she did her job with perfection for many years and deserves her retirement. But oh, how I will miss the corn that I dreamed of!
Crows and coons aren't the only wildlife that feast on our garden, a good look at the rabbits around here will show they've had more than their fare share also. The green bean plants took a big hit by the rabbits, but this problem was much easier to solve. Rabbits stir clear of two particular scents--human hair and male urine. We don't do home haircuts, but the urine, we've got that in great supply!! You can imagine Simon's delight when I instructed him to take his business outside to the garden for a while. :) It did the trick and the beans came in fine.
Tomatoes are the big harvest now. We have a row of about 20 plants and they are covered with tomatoes! We also get bags of tomatoes from Winnie's uncle who grows them to sell fresh. Whatever doesn't sell, he passes to us. Yesterday, we spent six hours in the kitchen washing, juicing, cooking down and canning tomatoes. We make marinara sauce, tomato sauce, pizza sauce, salsa, and also can some whole. It makes for a long, LONG day. The work is not hard to do, but it is steady. The rewards are tremendous though! Spaghetti night means cooking noodles and popping a jar open. Winter stews are so much more flavorful with a jar of tomato sauce instead of the store stuff. And the pizza sauce is fabulous!! Papa John himself wishes he could have something so good!!
In today's busy society, people sometimes wonder why we go to all the trouble. I tell them we live in a time of many uncertainties and what is easily available today may not be in ample supply tomorrow. I am blessed to have Winnie, who has taught me so many things that I would've had no opportunity to learn. Canning, cooking, sewing, quilting,---did you know that there is even a "right" way and a "wrong" way to hang clothes on the line?? The right way makes them softer and they almost look ironed when you bring them in. (Who knew???)
She says we are like the busy ants in the old fable about the ant and the grasshopper. Come winter, the busy ants will be warm, snug and well fed while the grasshopper goes hungry. But if you know anything about the Clemmers...you know that NOBODY goes hungry around here!! :)
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