Two Roberts

Last Saturday we planted the first annual Venable Humphrey vegetable garden. Gigi kept up with Ethan while Papa supervised the planting.

Robert was named after my paternal grandfather, Robert Venable. Grandpa Robert was a farmer and he loved it. He grew cotton and when he couldn't grow cotton he grew corn, and when he couldn't do that he grew vegetables. One winter he joined a group of men who went to work in an automobile factory up north. But it was dark and cold and too far from the land so after about two weeks he found his way home.

My Dad worked on the farm as long as he was at home, which is to say his whole childhood. He tells me about picking cotton and driving tractors and harvesting corn. But his dream was not farming. He has always said that Grandpa Robert was heartbroken that none of his boys wanted to farm. Now he keeps a few tomato plants, he has a pear tree he chases squirrels out of and makes pear preserves for us at Christmas. Not a farmer, but as close as he'll get now.

Of course, I am city girl. I don't camp, I'm horrible at growing anything. I forget to water houseplants, I don't even know how to cut the grass.

Which brings me back to Robert and our vegetable garden. My Robert is crazy about the natural world, maybe its being a boy, or because he is so curious, or maybe its the name. He is always talking about "the environment." He has single handedly forced us to recycle, often declaring "if you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem. " At Christmas he drew a diagram for his babysitter about how to stop global warming by forcing everyone to recycle aluminum cans. Robert also proclaims loudly how wrong hunting is (not a sentiment he got from me I swear).

I have wanted to have a vegetable garden with him for years. And this is the year. Robert worked so hard, he carried 30 lb bags of manure, he hoed and raked and planted and was actually paying attention for a change. Its like he was born to do it.

It was so cool to be working on this little patch of ground with my Dad and Robert, Daddy telling us about how they planted when he was a boy...I felt like Grandpa Robert would have been so proud. I am really trying to keep the veggies going and can't wait for Robert to have his first tomato from his own garden. I'm working on liking the dirt, but I definitely enjoyed playing in it last Saturday.