I fondly remember the days of birthing calves, straightening used nails, feeding the pigs and catching fish in the pond with a cane pole my grandfather made for me and my younger brother. My grandfather planted the garden every spring, but after planting, it was my grandmother’s garden. She did all the weeding and caring for the vegetables.

The rattlesnake watermelons were planted close to the gravel road going to the barn, so we could check on them regularly. I remember checking and asking my grandmother “are they ready yet?” and my grandmother would reply, “not yet!”. The “ready-yet” day finally came, and we got to pick a watermelon. Pictured is my grandmother teaching my younger brother and me the right way to eat watermelon.

Nick Payne, Belmont, a member of Rutherford EMC