Gleaning

( To gather after the regular harvest )

~ By Mickey Mom ~

I learned to "glean" at a very early age by watching my Mother. When our friends and neighbors had harvested what they needed, they opened up their fields and orchards to others to reap what was left. During the Great Depression, their great generosity was so appreciated.

When I began my own family, once again, the "gleanings" sustained us during lean times. We would load up the kids and head up North to the farms and dig potatoes, carrots and anything else the farmers didn't want. Same with the orchards. Often times you had to cut out the bad spots but it was still food and tasty.

As I write this I have a big kettle of soup on the stove simmering from "gleanings". My friend Joan called a few days ago and told me to come and help myself to whatever was available in her garden. And to be sure and go to her son's next door and do the same thing. Zucchini, green beans, chard, carrots, cabbage, onions, corn and potatoes soon filled my basket.

I happened to have a small chunk of left over cooked beef in the fridge, some sorry looking celery, and wrinkled up sweet pepper. They found their way into my soup pot too. I added a few beef bullion cubes to flavor it up a tad, some spices, a bay leaf and I tell you, it smells good in my house. I made bread yesterday and my mouth waters thinking about dunking the crusts in the broth of that soup and those wonderful vegetables which are so good for you. I just may throw a handful of egg noodles in the pot before I'm done.

         

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