May 15, 2023 - GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY
Spreading that ton of dirt was a ambitious project!
Peppers and tomatoes in pots are also successful
Our family garden! It is on the front lawn right near the sidewalks where people walk by. I hope they will stop by and sample the tomatoes!
Raised beds for herbs, garlic, and lettuce
Here is the garden at the Penn Yan Elementary School. Gardening is a school subject in Penn Yan.
On Thursday night, I visited my son, Jay, his wife, Taylor, and their lovely three children. I have been saving this Christmas present that Jay received when he was 11 years old… He played it for a while back then, and then I put it away in the attic, and has been bouncing around from house to house for the past few years. I brought it to their house and gave it to his son Rocco and he looked at it like it was some sort of ancient artifact. It was the state of the art at the time…. Armatron!!
Last Monday I went fishing and I caught an enormous bass. Of course they’re out of season so I had to send it back which is just as well. It was a big mama.
GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY
May 15th, 2023
Good Morning Folks,
I’ve always had a garden wherever I lived. My mother taught us early on how to till the soil, plant, weed, harvest and even squish big green tomato caterpillars. I never forgot those early lessons and over my lifetime I’ve planted hundreds of trees and thousands of tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, squash and every herb that we could obtain….not to mention shrubs, bushes and flower beds.
There is an ancient value in turning the soil and planting something that will grow to fruition. Gardening starts out in the early spring, chilly and damp, and without growth…and in the fall you are rewarded with an abundant harvest. Gardening is for people who have hope, for people who can see beyond the dirt. Gardening transformed our species from a hunters to planters; from nomadic to domesticated. Gardening gave rise to civilization, and perhaps if more people took up gardening, we would become a bit more civilized once again.
This past week Julie and I took on an enormous task of two raised bed gardens and two smaller beds, and numerous pots….all in addition to her wonderful flowering garden. She gave me a present a while back of a starter kit for growing your own plants from seed. I started too early and we had plants everywhere. We dragged out the two large raised beds that we had stored in the garage. We had them filled with soil and compost, and then laid some weed protecting paper. Then we begin the laborious task of planting and watering all of our babies. We had to get this done in a short time frame because Julie took off with Rose and Grace to Chicago for a Mother’s Day treat. I had some interesting times hanging out with the dogs by myself. I’m not a great bachelor, but I do like my gardening, even when I’m by myself.
Lots of folks down here in Penn Yan seem to have their hand in the soil one way or the other. I guess we’re all gonna end up there anyway. So my advice is buy some plants, dig a hole and plant whatever you can. It is your duty and it is about your future….it is the most human thing you can do.
Best regards,
John Bernunzio
Spring scenes from Yates County….the grapes vines and fruit trees are blossoming.
Spring scenes from Yates County.….mustard greens….that means the cardoons will be next!!
Spring scenes from Yates County.…BIG GARDEN!
Spring scenes from Yates County.… Another garden of sorts…moooo!