More than just plants

Early each spring dad tilled up the garden area in Bakersfield and we started planting. Some years we planted one big family garden, other years we divided up the garden and each child had our own garden space. We could plant whatever we wanted – corns, peas, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, watermelon - even zucchini or eggplant if we felt like it. (None of us ever planted eggplant!) On those years when we did individual gardens, Mom and Dad would start the “family” part of the garden, and the rest of us would pitch in on that section after we took care of our own little plot. I didn’t realize it then, but our individual “little” plots covered as much space as many modern day gardens I have seen.

Lots of planning went into that garden each year, but probably none more than the years we did individual gardens. Should I plant peas or carrots? Should I plant a whole row of corn, or should I plant hills of watermelon? If I plant both, what else would I have to leave out? The planning part was so much fun!

Planting was fun too. We all enjoyed watering. Sometimes we set the sprinklers, and sometimes we watered by hand with the hose. The years that we had individual gardens we probably used the hose more than setting the sprinklers. Watering our gardens was not enough. We always seemed to end up watering each other as well.

Somehow having our own gardens really kept us interested and involved. Seeing those little sprouts poking up through the ground, then checking them regularly to see that they had enough water and that the weeds were not choking them out.

I don’t remember eating much out of our garden, although we planted every year. I do remember fruit from the fruit trees, and eating fresh tomato and onion sandwiches. We did eat some radishes, and I know we had zucchini, but I don’t remember anything else from the garden. Even without a memory of tons of garden fresh veggies, that large garden space sure provided many wonderful memories of working and playing together as a family.