Wednesday, May 13, 1964, The Frances Hubbard Diaries

Wednesday, rained hard all day. Partly cloudy and warm, 60's.  David, Clifton and I went to Albany and Schenectady.  They went to Woodcraft about jobs stopped at Lorraine's but no one at home.  Had letter from Paul and Norma inviting us down.  Made part of the garden at night.  Went down to LaVerne's but no one there.  Boys and Sue mowed more lawn.
Comment: The garden was a pretty big deal and we used the tractor to plow and cultivate the plants. Here is what Socrates Hubbard said about his garden in the hills looking over Livingstonville about a 100 years or so prior:

"The Garden" We had a garden, a small patch in the corner of the meddow across the road from the house It was surrounded by a rale fence. along the fence next the road grew harty chokes seeding themselves and had been there from all time. There was also a Hop vine and a long pole for it to run up. Below the garden in the corner of the fence was an other fine Hop vine and just west of it a fine bunch of Peonas. I used to think them most beautiful flower in the world: In this garden we planted beens potatos etc. generaly went to the feeld for green corne peas etc. Then in my recolection (altho I must have been very small) Father surrounded an old colpet bed below the lower woods with a logg fence and made a garden there I think it must have been falieer for it was soon abandened and the fence moved. Sage bushes was growing there maney years after its abandonment. Also an other garden was made below the barn a half acre ground was fenced off of a paster lot a fine wall made round it. This was in the field next below the barn We had in this several years a very fine garden. The first year had quite a lot of watermellons. This was the only patch I ever know of being grown upon the hill. The seasons were too short and cold. We raised corn beens potatos squashes cucumbers etc. etc. string beens was a staple article in these days.