digitS'
Garden Master
Well, something that I had an idea that might happen, has happened. My gardening neighbor at the distant Big Veggie Garden has died. He was the property owner and had more ground than he could make complete use of – hired farm help to harvest hay on several acres. After retirement, he began selling small parcels and finally, went out of the hay business. What was left was about 1 1/2 acres where he and I had our gardens.
This has happened before in my career in having gardens on other people's property. Another retired guy who had a rental home on 4 lots, had more ground than he or the renters cared to use. I started with half a lot but after his son moved into the house, the owner retired from gardening and I took over another full lot. Then, the owner died. Things went downhill steadily after he was no longer there with his garden. His son was into cars, I could say, "junk" would be more accurate. Both were generous guys. "Drive down and park on the lawn." the son would tell me. I wasn't gonna do that but the property was at a dead end road and, in time, I was becoming hard pressed to find a place for the pickup while I was there. Gave it up after many years – no hard feelings and continued to provide him and his partner with tomato and pepper plants until they moved off the property.
Now, I don't know what to do. The greenhouse is filling up with plant starts. I'm unsure of the widow's plans. I thought that it was fun to see that the first thing mentioned in the old fellow's obituary for lifetime interests was "gardening." I remember her telling me that she thought that she was marrying an engineer, not a farmer. He had said that, though he wasn't out there in 2022 and wouldn't be in '23, the garden would be available. It's too early to be negotiating this with the widow but getting close to the time when I will be needing to till up a place for those plants and others.
Steve
This has happened before in my career in having gardens on other people's property. Another retired guy who had a rental home on 4 lots, had more ground than he or the renters cared to use. I started with half a lot but after his son moved into the house, the owner retired from gardening and I took over another full lot. Then, the owner died. Things went downhill steadily after he was no longer there with his garden. His son was into cars, I could say, "junk" would be more accurate. Both were generous guys. "Drive down and park on the lawn." the son would tell me. I wasn't gonna do that but the property was at a dead end road and, in time, I was becoming hard pressed to find a place for the pickup while I was there. Gave it up after many years – no hard feelings and continued to provide him and his partner with tomato and pepper plants until they moved off the property.
Now, I don't know what to do. The greenhouse is filling up with plant starts. I'm unsure of the widow's plans. I thought that it was fun to see that the first thing mentioned in the old fellow's obituary for lifetime interests was "gardening." I remember her telling me that she thought that she was marrying an engineer, not a farmer. He had said that, though he wasn't out there in 2022 and wouldn't be in '23, the garden would be available. It's too early to be negotiating this with the widow but getting close to the time when I will be needing to till up a place for those plants and others.
Steve