Friends With Farms

As much as one should have a friend who is a lawyer, another who is an accountant, and another who owns a yacht, I suggest finding a friend who owns a farm. We didn't become friends because they owned a farm, but it has been a great benefit! Plucking us suburbanites out of our planned neighborhood and planting us where the gravel and dirt hastily meet the black-topped road was a welcomed distraction to what would have been an otherwise hectic, over-booked weekend.

Rolling green fields, acres of planted soy, a forest hosting an old sugar shack, and a rolling stream welcomed us as we stepped out of the car and onto God's country. My son loved playing "farmer" as he got to ride the huge John Deere tractor. With the sun melting down on us, we donned our version of "farmer" gear and headed to the fields where, primed for the picking, were rows and rows of Concord Grape vines. I was in antioxidant heaven as those plump, purple lovelies were just calling "pick me, pick me". Armed with our shears and fruit baskets we began our pillage and plunder. Our treasure surrounded us and the pickin's were plenty.

Thank you to our friends for sharing your place of serenity with us. The quietness from the fields was peaceful, the surroundings were picture-perfect, and the company was genuine. How lucky to have such a beautiful escape.

"Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bands."
–Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Jay (Aug. 23, 1785)

We ate the grapes, we juiced the grapes; wait until you see what else we do with the grapes! Join me tomorrow for What I Made Wednesday to find out!