I am what you call a city girl growing up just 10 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh in a borough called Swissvale. My Grandma Kaschauer had lived there since 1906 and had owned the house and the double lot since then. My dad was her son and we lived there with her, helping to take care of the house and the yard. Back then it was a little more peaceful, no HOA’s telling you what you could and could not do at your own home. My older brother had rabbits and hares, which were pets, as well as some ringneck snakes. My pet geese Huey and Dewey met an untimely end with Grandma thinking they would be a tasty dinner. There were also some box turtles, a cat, a dog, some birds and whatever my brother would bring home. I grew up unafraid of animals including the snakes so it was a pretty happy childhood.
Because we were kind of a “green” family something was always being planted in the yard. Every year on my birthday, my dad would plant “a little Christmas tree” as he called it. By the time he had planted 6 of them my mother called a halt to the tradition because they weren’t “little” any more. In fact, all but one of them have been cut down. I make a point to go over to the old house once a year and see the tree because they are a memory of my dad who died young.
There were other trees in the yard too. I was a bit of a tomboy climbing the plum tree in the garden since the cherry tree (which by the way still stands to this day, well over 90 years old) was way too big, plus my swing was on it. We had some nut trees but the squirrels usually beat us to the nuts although they were nice trees. Tree climbing is somewhat inherited in this family. My dad’s nickname was “Monk” for monkey, I was a tree climber and my daughter was as well. My grandson is starting to climb the smaller trees at my home!
We had a lot of flowers too including an old-fashioned rose called “The Fairy” which is still there when I go by the old house. Grandma liked to garden because that is what she used to do in the old country. I used to pull out carrots, wash them off with the hose and eat them outside, leaves still attached. To this day I only eat fresh, raw carrots because they were so sweet.
One year my dad fertilized the vegetable garden because he thought it needed to be done. My mother thought no one fertilized the vegetable garden so she did it. Grandma thought that no one fertilized the vegetable garden so she did it also. It was the most luscious garden ever! The plants were so big that no one could get in there to pick the veggies so me, being the smallest of the bunch, received that duty. It was just like being in a jungle which I thought was pretty cool because I could hide in there. As a result, there were LOTS of vegetables and fruits that needed to be preserved.
It always happened in the hottest part of August with pots of boiling water to peel the tomatoes or boil the jars. It just wasn’t tomatoes and peppers, those wonderful carrots were made into something called “carrot sauce” which was served with beef. My mother loved it but Grandma wouldn’t give up the recipe for it and it went to the grave with her. But my favorite part of canning season was when she was making jelly and jams because back then you used paraffin wax and that was my job to pour over the sweet delights. I loved getting the wax on my fingertips then peeling it off. Fast forward to today and paraffin wax is no longer considered safe to use because mold can grow underneath the wax. Nor is it considered a job for children!
This part of my growing up stayed with me after I married and had my own home and yard. I had a small vegetable garden and started canning again after being away from it for so many years. As time went on and we bought a larger house with a bigger yard, the garden size increased exponentially. I started growing different types of tomatoes and peppers, as well as radishes, potatoes, and green beans that you could hide behind on the trellis work. Even heirloom celery, dill, tarragon, parsley, basil and oregano had their place. Did I mention beets? Most people cringe when I mention beets saying “they taste like dirt”. Not my beets and my favorite way is to pickle them. I ADORE pickled beets and preserve tons of them every year. I’ve gotten pretty good at it and come home with blue ribbons from local county fairs for them.
I’m still a city girl at heart and now live about 20 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh but continue loving my garden!
Follow Denise on Facebook at Mrs. Know It All or on Instagram edibleflowers1 and plantlikeapro
