 I managed a trip home to Fresno last weekend – the first since Christmas. Despite the 115 degree weather, it was a great visit.
There are three generations that live in my grandmother’s house – four generations on the weekends when my niece Chloe and nephew Jacob visit. Beside grandma, my mom, Gary (my mom’s boyfriend but he is more family to us than the mere title of boyfriend) and my brother all reside there. Grandma’s house is a big, three bedroom sprawl on 2 ½ acres. There is plenty of room for everyone and everyone has their independence.
Such a big house and 2 ½ acres is a lot to take care of. Between the 4 adults, they manage quite well. The best part of this situation is that my grandmother – although a healthy 82 years old – has so many people to look out for her.
Although two sheep and three Pigmy goats dominate one acre of the property, a separate quarter of an acre is set aside for the orchard and garden. Name a vegetable or fruit and it’s grown on that property. Gary even planted a banana tree and it looks like this year we will see the first banana crop!
For the last four weeks, the household has been scrambling to preserve their abundance of food. They have made all flavors of jam, pickles and marinades. When I left, they were on the verge of canning Chow Chow (a relish made of mixed vegetables).
As I drove back to Redwood City, my little car was packed with tomatoes, onions, fresh canned goods and all types of fruit from the orchard. I was given so much food to take home that I was able to give away bags of tomatoes to our photo editor Janna Scott and my father-in-law.
Not only is the family garden a way to save hundreds and hundreds of dollars on produce, but it’s an opportunity to share the abundance with family and friends.
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