24 Mar Tue 2009
Dawn of a New Age
I was 9 when my Dad let me grow pumpkins at the back of the family garden. Our garden was huge and supplied our family and neighbors with tasty produce all summer and Mom canned for the winter. I watered, weeded and cared for my little round buddies all summer. I watched as they grew and when the days of September grew shorter they turned a beautiful orange. My Dad helped me cut them from their life line and one by one I placed them in my 'lil red wagon'. I pulled them up to the road at the end of our driveway and sold them to folks driving by. In October after school and after my chores were done, Mom could always find me out by the road selling my pumpkins 25 cents a piece. It took me 3 seasons of growing and selling my pumpkins to save up enough money to buy a small motorcycle so I could ride with my Dad when he went fishing.
Now 40 years later my family is still growing a garden. Only difference between my tiny pumpkin patch of yester year and the 5 acre garden we grow now is the last 8 years our garden has been our family business. Growing all natural produce and selling it here on the farm has become the primary focus of income to our family. We have taken pride in sharing our farm with others. Teaching the youth of today the importance of growing your own food has become our mission statement. My 'lil red wagon' makes countless trips back to the pumpkin patch every season.
2009 is our 9th year and we now face "The Dawn of a New Age". We have been instructed by the county that we can no longer sell our produce here on the farm or have folks out to the farm. Some others have been contacted of the same. In order to stay in business we must take our produce to the Farmers Markets or design a CSA program. During the winter all of us got together and with help of legal counsel we have designed a new version of the Farm Stand Code. It has been submitted and if it is adopted it will set the stage for future Farm Stands.
For now the 'lil red wagon' awaits the sounds of children with its wheels anticipating a heavy load of prize pumpkins!