Grandpa's Corners

Submitted by HOST GFS Jill@aol.com

"And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:9-10

My paternal grandfather died when I was thirteen. I really didn't know him very well. According to my dad he was a respected man in the community. He helped his neighbors get through the Great Depression and WW II even though his own family was not well-off.

Grandfather didn't speak much. That's one of the things I remember about him. When I was young he seemed like a big man, but he wasn't over 5'10." My grandmother was only 4'11" so maybe that's why he seemed so tall. Or maybe it was his roomy lap where he bounced his grandchildren on his knee playing "I've got your nose!" and singing, "Trot, trot to Boston to buy a loaf of bread . . . " Or maybe it was his big heart.

Grandma and Grandpa Syers lived in the same house all their married life. They had a fairly large piece of property in the country; mostly wooded. Indoor plumbing, electricity, and a telephone were not a part of their lifestyle until the middle of the 20th century. When my parents were dating in 1957, my dad had to drive into town to use a pay phone to call my mother, or visit a friend or relative to await a return call from her. 

I used to think that Grandpa was a farmer because he had such a large garden. In reality it was more of a hobby for him. He was employed by the county road commission; often treacherous work in long, snowy, West Michigan winters. My grandmother had her pansies, petunias, and peonies in flower beds around the outside of the house. Grandpa had his rows of tomatoes, corn, cukes, and whatever else would grow that year. When we came to visit in the growing season, he was usually outdoors puttering around in his garden or trying to repair an old tractor. When it was time to leave we often had a bag of fresh produce to take home with us. What I didn't know until years later is that we weren't the only ones who left with veggies from Grandpa!

My dad told me that as far back as he can remember his father gave away what he grew. There was plenty for Grandma to can, preserve, and "put up," but there was usually extra. I got the impression that even when there wasn't much to spare, Grandpa still insisted on sharing. He rarely let his friends, neighbors, or relatives leave his driveway without a couple of bell peppers or some squash. Not only that, but he sometimes left food at the homes of neighbors who were struggling to make ends meet. He could've made some extra money for his household by selling his produce, but he didn't. In a way he was following the Old Testament principle of leaving the corners of his fields for others to glean, but he saved them the labor by picking the harvest for them! 

Personally I think that Grandpa must've had a green thumb. To this day I have not tasted better corn than that grown by my grandfather. And Grandma was a good cook. I remember sitting on the porch steps with my mother and Grandma, shucking corn. This is also where I learned how to prepare peas and beans for cooking -- snap! 

The old house on Raymond Road is still standing but is in dire need of repair. In my mind's eye I can see the roof of the sump pump, and the tire swing in the backyard. I can smell the fresh pines and hear the wind blowing through the branches of tall, stately trees. I can picture Grandpa's vegetable garden there next to the tool shed. It extends to the edge of the woods (where the two-track starts), and -- it has very large corners.

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