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Reba
Dalrymple of Tuscumbia said she’s lived on her farm long enough to
know what’s on the horizon at just about any given time.
"We
finally got some rain, and I told Mr. Dalrymple the bugs would be out
soon. Sure enough he comes in the door not long after that telling me he’s
going to have to spray the potatoes that are coming up because the bugs
have moved in on them," she said.
She
and her husband Nelson Dalrymple have been married for 57 years and they
still farm on the same land where she was born in the community of New
Bethel.
"We
have 40 acres in pasture land for our cattle and we grow peas, beets,
corn, beans, potatoes and tomatoes. And I can’t wait to get a good
tomato. Tomatoes you buy just can’t compare to what you grow,"
she said.
And
they don’t just grow enough for themselves. She has also been selling
them at their local farmers market, located between Tuscumbia and
Sheffield, for years.
"I
got my new knees last year, so I was able to load up my car and drive
myself to the market, until the corn was ready anyway. And then I took
the truck," she said.
Despite
having surgery to repair both knees and eye surgery to eliminate the
need for glasses, her husband has taken over most of the work in the
garden.
"He
gathers everything up when it’s ready and brings the vegetables up to
the garage for me. I cook and put up what I can, but the rest goes to
market with me. I enjoy it, and people will buy my peas as fast as I can
get them shelled because I shell them by hand. I can shell real fast,
too," she said.
Mrs.
Dalrymple said she and her husband have passed on their love of farming
to one of their sons and a grandson as well.
"Our
son, Greg, has cows and chicken houses and our grandson, Mitchell, says
he’s going to start raising goats because they don’t eat hay,"
she added.
Reba
and Nelson have four sons and 10 grandchildren, and over the years she
never knew who would be at her table when meal times rolled around.
"It
seemed like there were always one or two extras to feed, but I always
tried to cook them whatever they wanted. Vegetable soup and hot
cornbread, okra, squash and green tomatoes were favorites when the boys
had friends over. Chocolate cake and peach and apple cobblers are still
favorites," she said.
And
while she may not have as many mouths to feed as she used to on a daily
basis, her family knows Thursday means she’ll be in the kitchen.
"I cook a big dinner on Thursdays and I feed whoever’s around to
eat," she said.
And
her family knows they can expect pinto or northern beans to be on the
menu.
"One
of my sons tells me if his wife could cook pintos and northerns like I
do, he could eat them every day. When I was young, a lady that lived by
me cooked pinto beans, fried potatoes and cornbread everyday the Lord
sent," she said.
Mrs
Dalrymple was the seventh of nine children and didn’t cook much until
she and Nelson married.
"I
learned to cook from my mother-in-law. I just watched her and learned to
do what she did. I do better watching somebody else than learning with a
recipe," she said.
She
enjoys reading and writing and she loves the AFC Cooperative Farming
News.
"I
read everything in there and I really enjoy it," she said.
Mrs.
Dalrymple’s recipes are perfect for the days ahead as the mercury
continues to rise. Beefy Skillet Ravioli will have dinner on the table
in no time and cool and creamy desserts like Summer Time Pie and
Strawberry Banana Pie are just right for warm weather.
Kellie
Henderson is a freelance writer from Troy.
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3
Tablespoons butter or margarine,
softened
1
(14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with sweet onion
2
cans apple pie filling*