Newspaper Page Text
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October 9 , 2002
Time Capsule
.
C3 Compiled from
The Leader-Tribune archives
20 Years Ago
• Donald E. Merritt was appointed vice-president of Mid-Geor
gia Telephone Corporation.
• Kevin and Chad Rooks brought home impressive trophies
for their prowess in the Georgia State Championship Horse
Show.
•Darrell Peacock’s mock-up of a solar water heating system
won first place for the Peach County youth.
10 Years Ago
• L. B. Hayes and Mark Riley became the newest members of
the Fort Valley Police Department.
• Dawn Middlebrooks, was chosen as student of the month in
Word Processing for October.
• The Peach County 4-H Club started a shooting sports team
for grades 5-12. Michael Edwards placed third at State 4-H
Congress.
• Peach County Hospital continued to lx- in the black.
5 Years Ago
• Five years ago Flu shots cost $5.00, today they cost
$13.00.
• Two FVSU students were injured in an early morning
fire at 710 Green Street.
• The rate tor fiscal 199H w’as contingent on no changes in
the announced tax digest.
Fall is for planting?
PUTTING KNOWLEDGE TO
WORK ft pi
PEACH COUNTY EXTENSION
Jrank Junderburk
That’s right, fall is for plant
ing. 1 know you have always
done all your shrub and tree
planting in the spring. After all,
that’s when all the sales are.
that’s when you see all the ads
in the newspapers. Well, there
have been ads for fall planting.
You probably thought they were
just a gimmick to get you to
spend more money on your
landscape. Well, that may be
true but the ads also point out
the best time to plant trees,
shrubs and assorted other
plants.
Here’s the reason why fall is
the best time to plant. Let’s
compare the spring planting
with fall planting and look at it
from our point of view and the
plant’s point of view
Planting in the spring is easy
because the temperature is cool
and comfortable, usually. Plant
ing in the fall is easy because
the temperature is cool and
comfortable, usually. That’s easy
for us, the plant doesn't care
how comfortable we are when
we art' planting.
Planting in the spring means
that the plant must get estab
lished, grow its roots into the
new soil and be ready to grow
when the weather turns
warmer. Planting in the fall
means that the plant has all
winter to get its nxits growing
into its new home.
If you plant a tree in the
spring, say late March or early
April, what does it have to go
through before it can rest. It has
to grow roots that can absorb
water so the plant can keep all
of those' new tender leaves that
are coming on it.
The same plant, planted in
the fall, doesn't have the stress
of new leaves to contend with.
As stated earlier, it can grow
roots all winter and be ready by
spring for water demands.
v Grow in the winter? Yes, as
long as the soil temperature is
above 40 degrees Fahrenheit
plant roots continue to grow. It
is rare that our soil temperature
drops below 40, so plant roots
can grow all winter. By spring
the plant has a root system that
has probably doubled in size.
cElic Ueaber-tEribuiie
So. fall is for planting. How
do you do it? A simple question
that many folks would think
odd. But, having tx.*en in the job
for almost 25 years and having
seen numerous methods of
planting. I think it is appropri
ate that I explain the proper
planting procedure
First thing, be sure the root
ball is wet. A dry mass of pine
bark and sand, which is what
most plants are grown in, is
very hard to get wet. So soak it
first.
Unless you are preparing an
entire bed for planting forgot
the soil amendments Research
and experience has shown that
soil amendments in an individ
ual planting hole can actually
make things worse.
Think about this. You dig a
hole and add all the amend
ments. The soil is loose and
looks great. We have a one inch
rain. Where will the excess
water go? Will it sit on top of the
undisturbed soil around the
planting hole and slowly settle
in, or will it find that nice, loose
soil where the new plant is. It
will find the planting hole. Then
your plant sits in water for a
week.
So, dig a large hole, at least
twice the diameter of the root
ball of the plant to lie planted.
Dig the hole a little deeper than
the root ball is deep. Fill in the
hole with the soil you dug out so
that when you sit the plant in
the hole the top of the root ball
is level with the surrounding
soil.
Then fill the hole with the
soil you dug out. Lightly tamp
the soil around the rixit ball to
eliminate air pockets. After
planting add a 2-3 inch layer of
mulch around the piant. This
will keej) down weeds and
reduce water evaporation from
the soil. It will also insulate the
root system in case we have a
severe w inter.
Successful establishment of a
landscape is easy. Just plant in
the fall and plant correctly. If
you have any questions alxiut
fall planting please call me at
825-6466.
or mission
Who sez you can t go home
again? Dave Smith, my no. 2
son did. This was the culmi
nation of a promise he had
made much earlier as our
young grandad's 50th birth
day approached. Dave, per
haps to prove that he wasn't
even close to being "over the
hill", planned to ride his 10
speed bike over some of the
hills and hollows of Middle
Georgia's scenic highways.
Some of these roads less
traveled have some monster
hills to negotiate when only
pedal power and sweat equity
is used to propel your "hoss".
Although his birthdate is
August 7th, he was persuad
ed to delay the 102 mile jaunt
until cooler weather in late
September. Seems cooler
weather delayed its entry
also. When he departed
Conyers on Friday afternoon,
it was hot and humid though
overcast, but the die was
cast. It was Byron or Bust!
Our Peach County native
and graduate of Peach Coun
ty High School was on the
road. Dave and his wife, the
former Jeanie Waldrip of
Byron, have made their home
in the Atlanta area since
completing his college years
there.
When news of his plans
were leaked, a barrage of
questions followed Why
would any middle aged man
with above average intelli
gence contemplate such a
trip, using such transporta
tion? No. 2 son is more accus
tomed to flying the friendly
skies above our U.S. of A or
driving one of their 4 wheeled
vehicles. In addition, there
were several vintage vehicles
readily available. Dave's hob
by is restoring, and on occa
sion, racing his prizes. Some
speculated that a mid-life cri
Fall has changed since I was young
Fall is a lot easier on folk>
than it was when I was grow -
ing up. Kids don’t have to chop
kindling or haul in scuttles of
coal for the heaters. They don't
have to stack cordwood for the
kitchen stove nor do they have
to gather croaker sacks
(known as burlap bags nowa
days) and wrap all the outside
faucets tightly with string to
keep them from freezing.
Kids don’t know what a
potato hill is. I doubt many
young adults even know. It was
a 1 1/2-foot deep round hole
dug in the ground and filled
with fresh pine straw. Sweet
potatoes that had been “dried”
in the barn were piled on the
straw, then covered with more
straw. A tee-pec of boards and
croaker sacks was placed above
the pile to keep out the rain.
This tent kept the potatoes
fresh and crisp all winter.
It was our job to fish them
out when Mama wanted some
to cook. Flashlights were not
common in most households, so
we had to reach into the dark
structure, feeling very carefully
for the potatoes. It was scary
because the potato hill was a
jierfect place for snakes. I never
caught hold of a snake, but I
knew they could be there.
Preparing for cold winter
days was not exactly what I
wanted to do for fun, but farm
folk had no choice. Potatoes
had to be dug and dried before
first frost. After first frost,
there were pigs to kill, hams to
be salted and sausage to be
made and smoked. That meant
1
4 5 Today’s and
Mi \ Yesterday’s
T
• ' Joyce Matthews
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Dave Smith - “Ah ome as the group
(daughter Andrea , grandchildern Emily and
Hayley) stop to pinic at the courthouse in
Knoxville. Bike ride from Conyers to Byron. 102
miles
sis or insanity was the
answer. Some said it was his
homing pigeon instinct.
There was even mutterings of
possible male menopause, a
malady common to males
nearing the half century
mark. Mom recognized it as a
manner of proving that he
can follow through on what
ever he puts his mind to, as
he has in past challenges.
This was just another world
to conquer. This middle aged
•grampa is far from being over
the hill.
The journey began around
mid afternoon on Friday
27th. Departing from his
office in Conyers, the pedal
was put to the medal with
plans to overnight in Jackson
where Jeanie was to join him.
Plans also involved a refuel
ing stop at the Open Air Bar-
K
'IHtmzTfis v*’* *
it, 7at,c fatfj WL
the 1 smoke house ham had to Ik*
cleaned and the dirt floors
ready for cans of smoking coals
that cured the sausage. The
aroma of sausage dripping on
hard-wood ashes was out of
this world - as long as we were
outside the ham. Going inside
to keep the ash cans full was
another story; the smoke would
nearly put our eyes out.
Sister Eleanor and I made
short work of taking a shovel
full of red hot coals and dump
ing then into the cans. The hot
coals came from a huge hard
wood fire we had to keep burn
ing in the yard.
After sausage were strung,
there was always a ton of fat to
he cut into one-inch squares for
rendering into lard which went
on all the next day. We cut the
fat into the wee hours of the
morning. After a few hours
sleep the entire family was up
and-at-em again. Another fire
was built; this time under
Mama’s cast iron wash pot. 'Die
cubed fat was poured into the
pit and stirred every few min
utes - all day long. About sun
down the cracklings would be
golden brown and float to the
top of the melted lard. They
were skimmed and drained
and placed in flour sacks and
hung up for crackling bread.
The lard was strained of all
becue at Jackson, (an army
travels on its stomach men
tality) The bike trail home
ward began on Highway 36,
on to 212, thence to 130, and
onward to Hwy. 20, before
finally reaching Hwy 42.
Towns along the way were
Jackson. Blount, Flovilla,
Indian Springs, Forsyth,
Musella, Roberta, and
Knoxville.
Jennie's plans to mount
her own bike and accompany
Dave felt through when "the
pedal of her own "hoss" threw
a shoe. After limping along a
short distance by using one
pedal she was forced to drop
by the wayside. In this case a
Hilltop Nursing Home She is
yet being taunted and teased
about this although she
assured us this was a very
pleasant experience indeed.
crackling residue and stored in
five-gallon cans. Until this day,
I have found nothing that com
pares’ to Mama’s lard biscuits
or a,Dan of her crisp, golden
crackling bread served with a
big pot of turnips and pot
likker G believe it’s called
liquor now).
Rubbing hams with salt,
sugar and pepper was no picnic
either. Sometimes the heels of
our hands would lie as raw as
red meat from rubbing. But it
had to be done. There were no
home freezers and one dare not
let a ham go to ruin.
Of course, fall also meant
the last round of canning for
the year. Daddy always had
alKiut a half-acre of turnips in
need of picking. Although we
preferred them fresh, we had to
keep them the only way we
knew. Besides, Mama could boil
a rock and make it taste heav
enly. She was an extraordinari
ly talented cook. As a matter of
fact, she did everything well -
with the exception of making
chocolate cakes that were fit to
eat. For some raison, the dear
soul could not make chocolate
icing. It always seemed strange
to us - especially since Daddy
was a professional baker. Her
icing always crystallized and
tasted like it had grit in it.
She well made up for the
m if
sm i!
iL'4 m
The residents and staff were
both hospitable and helpful
as she awaited a rescue.
Daughter Andrea with her
two lively youngsters, "Em"
and Hayley, arrived to collect
Jeanie and her injured bike.
Meanwhile, Dave, minus his
saddlepal, was busy with his
own problems. This from the
horse's mouth, " Some of
those hills are awesome and
endless, especially one near
Forsyth and those on Hwy. 42
between Knoxville and
Byron, The historic old court
house at Knoxville was where
daughter Sharon and 1 joined
the group, as they were pic
nicking. Sharon had provided
some appropriate motivation
al posters to prepare our hero
for the final leg of the trip,
those killer hills. It was those
sticky candy kisses from
"Em" and Haley, however,
which got him over those
final hilltop hurdles.
There should have been a
red carpet, a drumroll and
fanfare of trumpets when
Dave's bike pulled into our
driveway. A wide grin was on
his flushed face and sweat
ran down his face from
beneath his bike helmet.
Cheers and high fives greeted
him, but our hero was more
interested in kneading aching
muscles, downing large
amounts of liquid, and a long,
cool, shower. As he massaged
his aching gluteous maximus,
I suggested that before he
again undertake" such a trip,
he take advantage of a tradi
tional ceremony Rich and I
witnessed in Savannah, The
Blessing Of The Fleet, (eerrr,
feet.) "Better yet," he replied,
"The seat. These saddlesores
are a tad troublesome!"
Congratulations Dave!
Mission Accomplished!
chocolate cakes with her peach
and blackberry cobblers. Mama
almost had the knack of mak
ing her mother’s sweet potato
cobbler - but not quite. None of
us were ever able to accomplish
that certain flavor we remem
ber from grandma’s cobbler.
It’s strange how' well we
remember the sights and
sounds and smells of childhood;
t he scent and frying sound that
came from sizzling tar oozing
from coal burning in the heater.
The fragrance of pine and tur
pentine from the wood stove as
our elders cooked dinner. (Pine
always made a hotter fire than
hardwood we were told).
We loved the dancing flames
of red, blue and gold from logs
burning in our bedroom fire
place.
I remember the smell of pine
trees in the woods and the
musky fragrance of ripe mus
cadines before frost, and juice
running down our chins from
pomegranates picked as soon
as the blossom end turned
brown.
The late 30s were not the
best of times, but we made
many happy memories of home
and hearth that still bring
smiles and a sense of peace
within our hearts.
These are not the best of
days, so it w ould be well if all of
us made one sweet memory
each day. Do something good
for a neighbor, a stranger or for
yourself These may be the best
days we will see for a while.
Pray for our nation and our
leaders. ©