Farm life
We went to the opening reception Oct. 4 of “A Season Under the Sun,” and enjoyed the exhibit of farm pictures at the University of New England’s Westbrook College campus Art Gallery.
At the lower level of the gallery the walls of the room were filled with excellent photographs of Maxwell’s Farm at Cape Elizabeth, taken by photographer Susan Pease Porter, who summers at Peaks Island.
The black-and-white, framed photos of the farm acreage were on three walls, with a printed description of each picture beside each frame:
June, Planting Potatoes – showing two men on a tractor.
June, Freshly Picked Strawberries – as I looked at them, large and beautiful in a basket, I remarked to myself, “Yum Yum!”
June, A Tray of Strawberries – a man holding the tray of just-picked berries.
June, Picking Peas – a man holding a vine, as he jumps along.
July, Coming off the Field, Hot Day – three men carrying baskets.
July, Pulling Carrots – hot day.
July, Pick Your Own Strawberries – little girls inspecting the berries, and jumping along the rows.
August, 7 a.m. In the Cornfield – men among the high corn stalks.
August, Sampling the Corn – a man with a stripped ear of corn, in his hand, which he is tasting, raw.
September, Freshly Picked Pumpkins – in containers.
September, Plum Tomatoes – we all like them small and bite-size.
October, Pumpkin Hayride.
November, Putting the Straw on the Strawberry Plants – bales of straw on tractor.
November, Dried Cornfield and Scarecrow
December, Break Time, Big Smile – a man holding up a cup, and smiling.
As we entered the room, on the wall was a picture labeled “June – Misty Day, Fields behind Market.” Beside it was a framed picture with lines from Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” printed. It began, “The passionate tenacity of early risers, cultivators of gardens and orchards and fields.”
It surely applied to the Maxwells and other farmers, who work so diligently to supply fresh produce for their customers. I shall read the rest of Whitman’s poem now.
I was pleased to view these Maxwell Farm pictures. I often bought produce from the Maxwells when they had a shop in North Deering a few years ago. Also Elsie Maxwelll was one of my favorite Crop Corps girls during World War II. That’s when boys and girls met in Woodfords Corner, got into the back of the farmer’s truck, and were driven for a day of work, weeding lettuce, picking beans, etc., in the farmers’ gardens in Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough. They were all good kids, and worked hard, too.
Ruth Corthell and I were in charge of our young workers, and I’ve said that that was the best job I ever had, outdoors all summer.
Elsie and her husband, Kenneth Maxwell, retired from running the farm in 2006, and now their daughter and son-in-law, Lois and William Bamford, are managers of the Maxwell Farm. I enjoyed talking with Lois at the Art Gallery reception.
A capable Bush
We were pleased to see pretty and capable Jenna Bush, daughter of President George Bush and his wife Laura, on Diane Sawyer’s “20/20” TV program in September.
Jenna’s smile is contagious. She is a bright girl. Since college, she has worked with UNICEF in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her book, “Ana’s Story,” is described in an article from the publisher, Barnes & Noble.
“I want to be in a house without shame. I am tired of the bruises that cover my body and darkness in my heart. I wish my parents were here. Protect me, Dios.”
“This is Ana’s hope for the future. Her mother, father and youngest sister all died from AIDS. Ana is 17, a mother, and HIV-positive herself. But Ana is bravely living with HIV – not dying from it. With incredible spirit, strength, and determination, she struggles to break the cycles of silence, abuse, and fear. She wants a brighter future for herself and her child. This is Ana’s story.”
I also admire Jenna for working with these people, considering how easy a life she could have in the Washington, D.C., area presently.
But what a grim future for Ana. I guess I should read Jenna’s book to learn more.
Berry inspired
After seeing the strawberry pictures in the Maxwell Farm exhibit at the Westbrook College Art Gallery, I decided to print a recipe using strawberries this week. This recipe was submitted by Betty Gorham for “The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Cookbook,” 1997, from Anniston, Ala.
STRAWBERRY REFRIGERATOR DESSERT
1 12-ounce box of Nabisco Nilla Wafers, crushed
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 12 ounce whipped topping
1 stick margarine, softened
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Crush Nilla Wafers and place half of them in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Beat eggs until foamy. Add margarine and beat well. Add powdered sugar and beat well. Spread mixture over crumbs in pan. Halve or slice the strawberries over the mixture. Spread whipped topping over berries. Top with remaining half of crumbs. Cover and place in refrigerator for 10 to 12 hours before serving.
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