Memories of Plainfield from Thomas Packard
Thomas Theodore Packard (1902-1975), known as Tom by all his friends and neighbors, was a life-long resident of his beloved Plainfield. His ancestors were amoungst the first to settle Plainfield. Tom was active in all aspects of the town, including researching the genealogy of many of Plainfield’s families, assessor, recording and caring for veteran’s graves, and mapping historic landmarks. His most lasting legacy is that he was the founder of the Plainfield Historical Society. Tom left reams of research on the town that members of the historical society rely on today. Recently, we stumbled upon a file of short essays he wrote in his later years – all about life in Plainfield. Many of these were published in The Plainfield Post. We thought it best to digitize and share some of these essays so that townfolk, both old and new, can see for themselves just how much Plainfield has changed over the years – and how much remains the same!
The Garden
My vegetable garden is a source of pleasure in many ways. It is also my boss at times! It demands attention sometimes when I wish to be doing something else. Yet it pays its way very well.
About 100 by 50 ft is enough land to use up many hours of time and produce much food. The first fruit is parsnips, left in the ground over winter and used in early spring. Peas are about the first things to plant as soon as the ground can be worked. Corn and beans must not be planted till soil is warm and all danger of frost is over with. Tomatoes grown in pots may be set out by middle May, usually. I don’t bother with much leafy stuff as we get plenty of greens growing naturally. Cowslips in early May, dandelions, later milkweeds, and many other plants make fine leafy feed. Strawberries take a lot of time and work, but the same time and work will gather many more for shortcakes from wild plants about the fields, so I don’t try to raise strawberries. Horseradish and rhubarb are perennials and raised near the house. In my annual garden will be found beans, string, green shell, and also Soldier beans for dry shell. These are better than any dry beans on the market and a few rows will raise a lot of beans. Green shell beans, what are not used fresh, are very good for soup in winter, if canned, and are easy to can. A few cucumbers are all right, fresh and for pickles. Carrots for winter stews. A few radishes, mostly eaten while working in the garden.
Besides all the fine eating from a garden in summer, there’s all the surplus canned for winter. Two dozen tomato plants will produce sometimes two bushels of fine fruit. My Golden Cross Bantam corn is as early as any good sweet corn and is about the sweetest and best flavored corn there is, not accepting the new white and yellow mixed, some of which is not as good as the older kinds. Besides all the food from my garden, there are the many peaceful hours spent in the outdoor air, and the money is saved also by the fact that the amusement need no car or travel expenses.
Most any soil and playing field will raise a garden. Of course it should not be too wet, nor be where much water drains down across. The plot should have enough slope so water will move slowly off, but not fast enough to move the soil. A clay subsoil is apt to be slow drying after rain. A too sandy subsoil, which is not common in Plainfield, will dry too much in dry weather.
A little fertilizer should be worked in broadcast, the best being barn waste from cattle or poultry. After plants are growing and heavy June rains are over, it is well to work in some commercial fertilizer, keeping it off the leaves. In hoeing and cultivating, remember the rest of the plant spreads further than the tops and care must be used to not cut off a lot of root as it retards growth. The ground should only be worked enough to control weeds and keep the top soil a bit loose.
If grass ground is used it must be plowed or otherwise worked the fall before. Land not in sod, is best worked in spring, as early as fairly dry and left awhile for the weeds to start before the final working up for planting. This saves a lot of hoeing and weeding. Nevertheless, remember a single large weed going to seed will plant many weeds for next year.
Certainly if one has a bit of ground not too shady, a garden is very worthwhile – for recreation, for fresh food free from all additives, and for helping out on the grocery bill.
Tom Packard 1973
