Skip to main content

Six Sentence Story: Where There's a Will. . .

The word "impossible" isn't in my family's dictionary, and I am proud of the examples I have of loved ones who have tackled difficult tasks.  Today's Six Sentence Story is one of those examples that really impressed me as a child, and still impresses me.  This week's prompt:  Will.

 Everyone knows that homegrown tomatoes are superior to what you can find in the store, but what can you do when you live in Sisters, Oregon, where the growing season is short?  

 Grandpa knew just what to do; he went out to the backyard and started digging a hole deep enough for a man to stand up in, and long enough and wide enough to plant more than enough tomatoes for himself and Grandma.  

 Some naysayers might have questioned his plan, but the garden bunker gradually took shape.  The transparent roof went on, the watering system was installed, the beds were ready to plant.  That year, Grandpa spent a lot of time underground, and his efforts paid off in a spectacular fashion. 

 Thanks to the insulating earth, the warmth inside that underground greenhouse extended the growing season significantly, and homegrown tomatoes became a nearly year-round crop for Grandpa and Grandma.  
Photo:  Grandpa stands next to a massive tomato plant which is growing in his underground greenhouse.
photo visiting2_zps6d4521f3.jpg

photo ThankfulThought4_zps7d9599c2.jpg
Thanks for hardworking, innovative relatives.

photo signature3_zps16be6bca.jpg


Pin It

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 9, 2017 at 8:49 AM

    You are right. There is nothing as delicious as homegrown tomatoes. I long for the Jersey ones that come in the summer. They taste life sunshine and sugar. The underground greenhouse is an amazing idea.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiMarch 9, 2017 at 8:59 AM

      I think he took a page out of my dad's book, because my dad built an earth-sheltered home at about that same time. :-)

      Delete
  2. Rozy LassMarch 9, 2017 at 9:14 AM

    The underground greenhouse is exactly what the Benson Institute teaches South Americans who live at high altitudes to do to be able to grow fresh vegetables for their families. https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-05-28-bolivia-underground-greenhouses?lang=eng It's a heartwarming story of teaching people self-reliance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiMarch 9, 2017 at 9:17 AM

      Wow--who knew? (Well, obviously, you did.) I guess my grandpa was ahead of the times!

      Delete
    2. Rozy LassMarch 9, 2017 at 9:21 AM

      I mis-remembered; Although I believe it began with the Benson Institute, it is now run by LDS Charities and the church. Here's another video. https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-11-1120-bolivia-underground-greenhouse-project?lang=eng

      Delete
    3. KristiMarch 9, 2017 at 9:36 AM

      Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

      Delete
  3. Paul BradsMarch 9, 2017 at 9:47 AM

    Now they call them heirloom tomatoes. Fancy for home grkwn.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Josie Two ShoesMarch 9, 2017 at 10:12 AM

    That's just awesome!! What a clever idea, and look how well it worked! I bet he took a lot of teasing about his underground garden that first season! :-) That expression is one I heard often growing up, and I absolutely believe it's true.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 9, 2017 at 10:15 AM

    There is nothing better than fresh tomatoes in season. And nothing worse than the tasteless out of season ones. :( I love your story and I am now very excited for summer tomato time!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tired TeacherMarch 9, 2017 at 11:45 AM

    How wonderful! Sounds your your grandfather was up for a challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownMarch 9, 2017 at 3:41 PM

    Wow! Pretty impressive!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMarch 9, 2017 at 4:51 PM

    Wow, impressive!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Clark FarleyMarch 10, 2017 at 11:16 AM

    very cool
    (It is always something to see examples of very intelligent people at work solving a problem, particularly when they just work it out, as opposed to (I'm assuming studying and consulting experts).

    ReplyDelete
  10. grams ramblingsMarch 11, 2017 at 10:52 AM

    What a wonderful account of your grandfather's creativity. Amazing ....

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Conversations are so much nicer when more than one person does the talking. :-) Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts; I'd love to hear from you!

Popular posts from this blog

Ten Things of Thankful: 39 Years Edition

A political map of the world circa 1987. The Soviet Union takes up a sizable portion. A lot has happened in the last 39 years. The Berlin Wall came down. The Soviet Union collapsed. The Twin Towers fell. Technology has changed: landlines and phone booths are practically extinct, and random questions can be answered in seconds by asking Google, Siri, or Alexa. No longer do drivers keep the Thomas Guide in their cars; navigation systems will give turn-by-turn directions, and recalculate when the driver doesn't follow the directions. Some cars don't even need drivers. While many shoppers do their shopping in-person, some simply log into Amazon and have their item show up on their doorstep--sometimes within hours.  I've seen pieces of the Berlin Wall. I've traveled to places that used to be behind the Iron Curtain. I've been to Ground Zero. I no longer have a house phone, and have looked up the answers to countless questions using my cell phone. I do not miss the stress...
5 comments
Read more

Ten Things of Thankful: April Showers Edition

  A red peony bud prepares to open fully  After an incredibly dry winter, we had a bit of precipitation this past week, in the form of falling snow. We didn't have much, and it didn't really stick, but we'll take water however it wants to come. Fortunately, my peonies seem unaffected by the cold snap, and are ready to put on a show here soon. 1. I'm thankful for moisture. 2. I'm thankful the flowers are still going to bloom. I don't know how the colder temperatures will affect the fruit crops. The strawberries look like they are still planning to set fruit. We'll have to see what happens with the peach, apricot, pear, and apple. (The apricot only bears heavily every other year anyway, and I think this is an "off" year--though I could be wrong.) Strawberry plants in full bloom 3. I'm thankful for anticipated berries.  We continue to clear out and otherwise prepare John's parents' house for sale. I've been going through old photos and...
8 comments
Read more

Monday Mentions: Equate Crutches

Have you ever needed crutches? I hadn't, until a week ago.  I'm pretty sure I strained a muscle while running a half-marathon.  (That sounds kind of cool, doesn't it? I'm not actually that cool; the last time I strained a muscle it was from carrying too many shopping bags at once.) In any case, I found myself in need of some crutches. I sent my husband to the store to get some. Photo: A pair of crutches leans against a wall  Not that crutches are all that complex, but because I hadn't used any before, I wondered if I could figure out how to adjust them to fit me properly. I shouldn't have worried. John came home from Walmart with their generic store brand of crutches, complete with instructions. First, I needed to take out a long bolt that went through the hand grip. Then I needed to find my height range, push down two metal pieces, and slide the crutches until the little metal pieces came up in the hole near my height range. (Having two people for this...
4 comments
Read more