Growing up here in North Shreveport and Blanchard, one of the benefits of my childhood was learning "country" values. Hard work, sweat...... and gardens.

Garden
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My grandmother always had a big garden. And generally, this time of the year, on a rainy afternoon (Remember rain? That wet stuff that used to fall from the sky?)...I digress; anyway on rainy afternoons or late in the evening, we shelled peas! As a FAMILY, we shelled peas! LOTS of peas!

Shelling Peas
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Black eyed peas, purple hulls...we shelled butter beans, snap beans; we shucked corn, we dug potatoes. I remember how my thumbnails would ache at night and would turn every shade of black and purple from all the shelling. My brother and I would have little races to see who could finish their bowl first. We made it fun!

We helped my Mom and Grandmother "Maw" to put up fig preserves, pickled okra and peppers. We peeled tomatoes while they put others in jars. We did it all...AS A FAMILY. I'm sure we whined a little when it was time to start, but we got 'er done. And you know....I wouldn't have had it any other way. I think those days of working together brought us closer...and I KNOW it made all those suppers that much better, knowing that we were all part of the process. Maybe you and the kids need something like that in your life? 

Farmer's Market Shreveport
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Then take a little trip to the Shreveport Farmer's Market at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport.  You'll find corn and peas, squash, watermelons, egg plants, local honey, the whole gammit...fresh from the garden.  The Summer Season is open again this Saturday and next, August 27 and September 3 respectively, from 7am til Noon.  Then it re-opens for the Fall Season each Saturday, October 22 through November 19 from 8am to Noon.  Tell the kids to park the Nintendo for a weekend and give it a try.  Who knows, they might even learn to like it.

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