Organic

  A niece of mine had posted about making beach plum jelly. The memories came flooding back. I'd say it has been more than fifty years since I last enjoyed that delicacy. A half a century ago! But I can say it was eaten on a crown Pilot cracker. Those crackers were a staple in my grandparents homes. Mostly they would be eaten with a big slab of butter on them, sometimes sprinkled with sugar. Yes sir, that was a treat. Grandmother Bennett would pour an ounce of coffee in a cup, add six ounces of milk and sugar and give that to me to accompany that cracker. Really felt like I was grown up and all. But that beach plum jelly didn't come from a relative, rather she was a neighbor. We called her Aunt Francis, that was the custom back then when addressing adults. Mr. or Mrs. unless they were friends of the family in which case they became Aunts and Uncles. When I was small I figured I was related to just about everyone. Years later while working on the family tree, I discovered I am! But that's another story. Aunt Francis had picked those beach plums down to Sammy's beach and made that jelly. Most likely my sister and I helped her pick them, as we spent quite a bit of time with her. 

  After responding to that post I was remembering all the wild foods that we used to eat. Today I suppose they would be called "organic" to indicate that they were raised without pesticides and fertilizers. To be labeled Organic they must be raised in accordance with the USDA National Organic Program. Yes, there is a federal program concerning that process. All those foods I gathered as a child were organic but still wouldn't have fit the guidelines today. Well, no matter, they were all delicious and readily available if you knew where to look . There was a green apple tree in the church yard, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries all grew alongside the road or in different fields and clearings. Aunt Francis had a peach tree in her back yard. Honeysuckle was abundant and sure was sweet. A neighbor, Chief Red Thundercloud taught how use to make sassafras and  make tea from those roots. I could also go scratch up a few clams, mussels or snag a crab or two from the creek. In the cold weather long clams could be dug as well. No need to go to the fast food restaurants ( there weren't any) there were plenty of snacks to be had, all for the taking. Could even snitch a watermelon if you got real brave. It's also the way I learned to tell field corn from sweet corn. 

  Now I did go to the corner store for penny candy, I'm not trying to say I was an organic child. No , mary janes, sugar daddies, sugar babies, licorice whips, atomic fire balls and lemon drops were all favorites. A ten cent bottle of coke from the machine at the gas station was a treat. Got two cents back on the bottle and could buy candy with that to follow up. Other treats might be  a popcorn ball or if Mom was baking, little boys pies. That's what she called them. Just rolled dough with cinnamon sugar inside. So many memories inspired by something as simple as beach plum jelly. 

  I'm certain there are children doing the same today. In the rural communities across America surely this persists. We all tend to think of our childhood as a time gone by, something past. Well, it is for us but that doesn't mean it is for others. The children of today will one day write of their youth with fondness and a sense of loss. They will wish their children could have experienced what they did. Reminds me of the day I taught my granddaughter about spring onions. Yes, she tried it and was surprised. We also checked to see if she liked butter, you know, with a buttercup. And I told her about milkweed. No, you can't drink milkweed! Ah, but they were good days, better than we realized at the time. But isn't that the way it always is, you don't appreciate what you have till it's gone. 

 There was, and maybe still is, a publication produced at the High School. It was called, " Beach plums" and was short stories and poems  submitted by students. I could be mistaken but I do believe I entered a poem for publication. Not sure if it was included or not, may not have made it past the editors. That was also a reality way back then, you could get rejected. I expect that title has been used by others I doubt that there is any copyright on that. I've never had visions of sugarplums dance in my head but I've sure had beach plums in my belly. Organically grown I might add.