Growing up we always had a big garden. We had a deep freeze in the garage full of garden produce. We had a can pantry lined with jars of vegetables my parents had canned. Mom would send me or my brother out to pick dinner. We had corn, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, okra, greenbeans, purple hull peas, sometimes we had asparagus, watermelon, beets, garlic, onion, cabbage, bellpepper, peas, & peppers. 

It sounds so dreamy thinking back on it, but I didn’t like it as much back then. It meant a Saturday I couldn’t sleep in and would have to shuck corn, or would have to get all nasty picking all the green beans and spend another few hours snapping them. But even then something inside me enjoyed the stillness of sitting on the porch swing with a glass of sweet tea and shelling peas with my mom and the deliciousness of corn on the cob in January. 

When I left home I told Deddy I would help him put in his garden every year if he would share the bounty. I haven’t kept up my end of the deal every year. But I have tried. When the boys were little they would want to help and they did. Some years he had plants popping up all over! One year Drew didn’t like Granddeddy spraying to kill the the potato beetles so he collected them all in a jar and let them go at our house. One year Deddy wanted to collect my one drop of sweat in a jar to keep it!

Putting in a garden is decided the day BEFORE because conditions have to be just right so being flexible is important. Deddy crumbles the dirt clod and declares today is the day. He has been planting a garden for longer than I have been alive so I don’t question, I obey. 

Deddy has a reason for doing things the way he does them. I don’t have to know the reason. I’m there to help put in the garden.

So in April I helped him put in his garden.  The mark on his hoe to measure the distance between rows… always been there. 

He tilled the dirt, I hoed the rows and planted the pink eyed purple hull peas. My personal favorite. 

I started to cover my first row. He said he would plant all my rows before covering but I could do what I wanted. I waited. 

There is a reason. 1) Make sure you have enough seeds for your 5 rows and 2) go back and use up all your seeds in your rows. I didn’t ask. I figured it out myself. I’m smart like that! haha

I planted lots of tomato plants. I like to plant without gloves. I like to feel the dirt. 

As our work was done for the day we hugged each other and I snapped a picture of the happy hungry workers. We went inside to sandwiches and sweet tea momma made. 

And now three months have past and the harvest is here.

Chad and I went to my parents house to pick. I put tomatoes and purple hulls in the freezer and make blackberry jam. 

What blessings from the hours I spent with my Deddy, working quietly beside him putting in his garden and now many can enjoy the harvest and we can enjoy the memories.

Love you Deddy.

Katey