Great Grandpa's Garden

Shortly after school started, we had the opportunity to go to Great Bend, KS, and visit Uncle Craig (my Mom's brother).  Before heading back home, we made a trip out to Great Grandpa's garden.  This is a very special place on a plot of land that neighbors my Grandma and Grandpa's house....Grandpa spent hours upon end prepping the soil, planting, and harvesting produce in the garden.  Grandma would then spend hours washing, canning, and preparing the delicious proceeds for us to eat.  Meals tasted best at Grandpa and Grandma's house because the food was so fresh (and lovingly prepared by Grandma using no less than 1 stick of butter, of course).  

Growing up, we kids had the chance to help Grandpa in the garden, where the soil is the consistency of sand and you're hard pressed to find a weed.  Corn, green beans, potatoes, pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupe, radishes, onions, peppers, beets, strawberries....you  name it, they grew it.  Grandpa would put on his overalls and hat and head out for the day.  It was a sanctuary for him.  He would often tease me because I'm not much of an outdoorswoman and therefore didn't spend a ton of time out there ("Lindsey, the corn is ready for picking....are you coming out?"). ;) I do have fond memories of planting and then helping Grandma clean things up in the kitchen.

For years after Grandma passed away, we were able to enjoy the fruits of their labor.  Cans of green beans and baggies of frozen corn were treasures in our family.  I was very emotional when we ate the last of each of these things and savored every bite.

For these reasons and because of these memories, it was such a blessing for me to watch the kids in the garden, which Craig has worked at maintaining on a much smaller scale since Grandpa passed away.  It was special to me because this allowed the kids to see that not all produce comes from Hy-Vee and that it takes a lot of work to grow and prepare much of the food we enjoy. :)

The kids and their garden goodies

Trimming peppers off the vine

I miss Grandpa and Grandma very much and was so grateful for the opportunity for my kids to have a connection point with a place that is so near and dear to my heart.  The land that the garden sits on is currently for sale.  It will be a tough day when the garden sells, but I am so thankful for all the memories I have of time spent there.