15 Montgomery Road
P. O. Box 186
Huntington, MA 01050
Ph: 413-667-5786
Katheryn Darrow

Experienced gardener available for Design, Installation, Restoration & Maintenance. I use hand tools and practice Soil-building, Integrated Pest Management, and Organic Gardening methods. No charge for first consultation.

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GLORIOUS FRESH VEGETABLES

Mother Nature has her own way of frustrating gardeners. One year, a feast. The next, famine. Even with the unusual weather we have been having this summer, vegetable gardens are thriving. Even getting away for a short vacation can spell disaster. Gardens don't wait for your return. . .they just keep growing!!

Tomatoes are ripe,   local corn has been available for several weeks, and summer squash, zucchini, beans just won't stop. What to do with it all is the big question. Here comes the creative cook to the rescue, with delectable dishes invented to solve the problem. To name a few: scalloped zucchini, fiesta jambala made of green, gold, and red vegetables, herbs, and a hot sauce.   Usually the cook can't repeat the ingredients. used, depending on personalized taste buds, an eye for color, and, of course, a flair for daring to try something new.

Fresh vegetables taste better, are more nutritious, and abundant. In earlier days, there was a short spell in August, when farming family proudly took their animals, produce, canned fruit and jellies to the fairs. . .the blue ribbons were part of the fun, but also it was a chance to meet with friends and neighbors before the renewed busy time of harvest. Flowers were brought to display in a variety of categories, and using random containers not usually considered for arrangements made for whimsy and fun. The prizes were not large, it was the pride and the spirit.

Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it? "Summertime, when the living was easy, the fish were jumpin’,  your daddy's rich and your mama's good lookin' " hardly describes modern urban life. The songs of that good life bring it back.   And the fairs are still going going strong. There are exhibitors who are famous for their beautiful displays, the variety of their produce, the polishing of each item, and the perfection and beauty of it all. The horse and oxen pulls still draw crowds, and the 4-H contests are the beginning of many careers. Inspiring and wonderful — well worth the going!

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