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Remembering

[font="Georgia]Reading all the new growers first seasons got me remembering my first season. Like to say I remember my very first one but I was probably about four (1964). I do remember 1968 and earning my keep on the farm by tending dads jalapenos. I remember that well cause I was mad that dad didn't pick out the new pepper in the seed catalogs that year the Habanero. Dad always said stick with what works and well at eight I didn't have a vote. Dad always had his Italian sweet peppers for cooking and jalapenos to sell along with a few other veggies. Mom had flowers, Dad had veggies, and I dreamed of being somewhere other than the farm. Yet here at 50 I can't think of any thing else worth my spare time. Embrace that first season-log and learn every season. Work with mother nature it's easier than fighting her. Every year I learn more and probably forget more than most will ever learn about our green earth. If I had a penny for every seed I've placed I'd be a billionaire. No real question here just let me die working the garden mad that I didn't get that new pepper for the year.:) [/font]
 
It's all water over the bridge and now you're in the captain's chair. I don't think that you ever stop learning especially when trying to improve your craft. My wife has grown vegetables for over 40 years, since she was knee high to a grasshopper.

She took on a monumental challenge trying to convert this city boy into a farmer. I was just a laborer for the first few years and now it's our primary hobby. We started growing superhots a couple of years ago and had very good success. Now it's an obsession, I think about them all the time. I'm always finding new species that I want to try.

Do the anxieties ever level off?
 
Thanks for the post RJ. Brought back memories of me pulling weeds, and snapping beans in my folks garden (and always wanting to be somewhere else). Fast forward to today and gardening is my sanity! My children now get to roll their eyes when I say ... it's time to work in the garden. :)
 
Thankyou all. I hoped everyone would take time to reflect on their memories. You know I seem to worry less now, a little more kinder to the weeds and stray cats,and alot more thankful of mother nature. I can watch a flower open up for the morning and I even plant catnip for the stray cats.
 
Thanks for sharing RJ. As one of the first timers, I look forward to learn from you and the other experienced members of the forum.

As far as my memories are concern, for me I remember my grandfather's garden where he grew tomatoes, cucumbers, peas and beans. That's probably where my sudden urge to grow something comes from and plants and flowers just don't cut it for me.

My grandfather stopped gardening years ago, so one of my goals this season is to be able to give him one of the tomato plants I'm growing, when they will be in their final pots, so he can grow some fresh tomatoes again, but this time on his balcony and only one plant not fifty like he used to.


Have a good season RJ!
 
One of my first garden memories is with my grandparents in their 1/4 acre garden. I was picking green beans with grandma as grandpa was mowing around the garden. Later that day I was climbing in a raspberry bush next to grandma to pick for jam. Years later I would realize the bushes really weren't as big as they seemed. They were only 5 feet tall. lol.
Good memories.
 
I was born and raised with a large vegetable garden. Some of my best memories are gardening with my parents and grandparents. Last year was my first year back at it after several years of apartment life, and I realized how much I missed it. It truly is good for the soul. Now I just have to convince my girlfriend to let me turn more yard into garden...
 
i hated picking rocks........why was it always my job to pick the rocks and stones and toss them on the fence line? all i wanted to do was run that bad ass rototiller but no...you missed a rock son, oh, there's another one you missed. i was told it built character, all i remember is it built blisters and calluses! oh ya, i was my job to swat the flies off my dad's back and to make sure no deer or horse flies nailed him...... i am sure i let a few slip by my defenses.
 
My gardening habit started very early, probably about 2 according to my dad. He was planting tomato plants and I, helpful daughter, kept handing him the next tomato saying "here one, daddy". He thought he should be running out of plants, looked back to find I had been pulling up his freshly planted tomatoes so I could hand him another one to plant. I am still gardening and growing vegetables as well as peppers. Loved the story!!
 
I remember my grandad's garden all fenced in like fort knox, the grandkids werent allowed any where near that garden. But i do remember some really nice tomato's and lettuce and string beans and stuff that he picked for us grandkids. Nothing like fresh garden picked veggies. My own parents garden was nice too except they grew way too much zuchini and to this day i hate zuchini!!!! lol. Im glad i can grow my own garden now and share the experience with my daughter, she loves the pepperoncini that i grow and pickle and she aint afraid to taste the hotter peppers if she got a glass of milk and a piece of italian bread to soak up the heat after eating it. And it is a beautiful thing to have yer kid hang out in the garden with ya and help pick the ripe tomato's and peppers and such.

Jim
 
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