This vintage photo (oh my gosh, I'm VINTAGE) is my husband and I in our attempt at an American Gothic pose while proudly tending our first veggie garden, circa 1985.We first got the gardening bug when we visited a great aunt and uncle who gave us a tour of their extensive garden. Along with great advice, they passed on to us an old black enamel canning pot and some Mason jars to "put up" what we grew. So with our Reader's Digest Back to Basics book and blissful ignorance, we plowed ahead.
Back in the day, my hubby and I grew our own veggies, baked our own bread, bought vintage clothes at thrift shops, and used cloth diapers. We already had two babies, and a third was soon to follow. All this while still in our twenties. So - were we eco-minded avant-garde recycling mavericks? Heck, no. We just didn't have any money. My sweetie was just starting out in the computer field, and I was a stay at home mom, which believe me in the eighties was not cool. Neither was wearing vintage aprons, which I did. It wasn't considered hip - it was considered weird. At least according to my babysitter, who told me that she didn't think so, but her mom did :)
So where am I going with this ramble? I have no idea. Old photos cause me to reminisce...
Our first tiny garden, on the side of our first tiny house. Keeping a vegetable and herb garden is still one of our favorite things to do together.
Each spring for the past several years, we have made a visit to King's Herb Nook, an organic plant and seed business run by a local Mennonite family. 
For any of you locals who might be interested, this place is awesome and their prices are outstanding.
They are located at 1060 Compass Road (PA 10) in Honey Brook, PA
They also teach classes on growing and using edible and culinary weeds and medicinal herbs. I've taken one or two of these classes. They are very informative.
They have a small shop on the premises where they sell homemade soaps, teas, bread and grains - all organic.
The inside of this shop smells heavenly with all of the dried flowers, mints, and herbs
They also have a great selection of how-to books
Good soil!
25 comments:
Hey Jodi!
Steph and I are starting a garden this year. Well, really, two of them: one at my house and one at hers. We built some boxes for a raised bed at her house, and I dug up the soil where the garden used to be in my yard...it was really overgrown since my dad hasn't been able to tend it in a few years.
You guys are so cool, and my you have aged gracefully. Poverty has a way of making one appreciate how great conservation is, even Rush fans know this. I will add that cloth diapers are the wave of the future and only the "moms-in-the-know" use them now! So many scientific and medical reasons to use cloth rather than disposable...if only the greater public knew the truth. (However, I admit that I do get joy out of the thought of throwing away a pooey diaper instead of having to "take care" of a pooey cloth diaper.) I tried to get Zac on board with the idea of cloth wipies, but he turned that down, sad boy.
Jodi, I love that photo of you and Mike. Andy didn't even realize it was you guys. That shop looks really cool. We haven't put any plants in the garden yet, it's been really cold lately. The kitty seemed really happy. I hope we can get together soon. We miss you.
Rocking picture. You are my hero, it's like your not even REAL with that mona lisa face in your photo. You're like a stripy 80's sphinx.
I'm thinking about switching to cloth diapers, but maybe I should try to keep cherry tomato plants alive first.
Thanks for the tips on the morning glories.
You're garden is delicious. I think you should have included an "Our Garden Today" picture so I could compare.
Big load of nostalgia in that post Mom. Old splintery tomato stakes, the smell of acidy (not a word) tomatoes just before they are canned, and Dad's old t-shirts. I looked up the old house on google maps and saw that they put a driveway in where the tiny garden plot was. I know we moved on to bigger gardens, but we can't forget that first one.
Acidic is a word, mi amor.
Poetic license, cara mia.
Hahahaha I love the - "So - were we eco-minded avant-garde recycling mavericks? Heck, no. We just didn't have any money." Classic.
The photo is awesome too - I love vintage photos - I'm concerned many of the photos I currently like of Joy and I will in a few years be very embarrassing. Oh time, I love you.
What a heavenly looking little shop! Wish I could come visit. Love your line about not having any money - isn't it interesting how growing your own, preserving, baking, sewing etc all seem to be coming back into fashion now that times are tougher? Nearly the first thing I did when I bought my first home as a student was to dig a decent size vegetable garden - too many times the budget was too tight to go out and buy food but I could always find a meal in my garden all year round. Hope you have a lovely weekend :-)
I'm not sure the whole eco thing ever disappears. I think people just get distracted and need reminding every now and then. Giving it a new name helps.
We do all the grow your own, recycle,washable nappies, etc. Anyone thinking of doing washable nappies, I'd say do it. Don't let anyone put you off.
I'm not sure what to make of the last photo!
Cheryl, ha ha it was my poor attempt at a play on words. They had bags of organic soil piled in front of a scripture placard, which put me in mind of Jesus' parable of the sower (Matthew 13): "...but the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown."
Fantastic photo!I must confess that I'm singing the theme song from Green Acres, but how cool is it to be able to do all that! You both looked wonderful - so much so that it was my 3rd or 4th time looking at the photo when I realized you have a cucumberish something in shot. My black thumbs remain jealous ...
Can I just say that I love EVERYTHING about this post! ...especially the farmer picture but all of them really. I very much wish that I was close so I could go there!!
amy in peru
haha I agree with with Zach, the old tee shirts came to mind as well. haha the funny thing is, if that tee in the picture hadn't disintegrated on it's own, it would still be in circulation ;D
<3
Love that first picture of you two! I enjoyed this post and your reminiscing. :) I am stopping by from seeing you on Ostriches Look Funny. :)
Lumberjackswife, nice to meet you.
Thanks, Rosie, the Green Acres theme song was stuck in my head throughout the day.
Steph and Andy, good luck with the gardens. You should check out King's.
100 percent lovely. You two sure were cute.
Linda, were!? lol
I wanted to put the American Gothic on our desk top photo (if only I knew how to work these machines!)
Truly a great sight. So cool to see that you two were the same then as now. Beautiful still. <3
Zach and Joy, funny thing, we have the same disintegrating t-shirts circulating in our laundry.
(Real men wear out their shirts- gardening, gathering firewood...)
okay, that picture is an instant day-brightener ... i seriously may rush home and force my husband to stand in front of the tripod, i am so inspired.
also, i love peeking at your "herb nook" store ... there's a little man we buy produce from, and it brings me such joy (English teacher though i am) to see his little "squarsh" sign out at the road...
Fabulous nostalgia post.
I love it! I've been meaning to post something similar for awhile: I Was Crunchy When Crunchy Wasn't Cool, or something to that effect... I just can't seem to get around to actually writing it.:) Your post was delightful to read! It sounds as if we've had similar experiences in the poor, frugal, and happy line--it's a good life.
Melissa, it's a wonderful life. :)
you guys were SO adorable!
Love!!
oh.. the poor old days. been there.
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