Red Foot Garden

I will always remember September 11th 2001. At the time I was between jobs, and I was working on a farm in South Jersey to keep busy and make a little cash. By the time September rolls around the corn fields are mostly empty, and so we were focused on Sweet Potatoes. We had harvested the potatoes, and on the morning of the 11th we were sorting the potatoes and boxing them up to be shipped/sold. The farmers love their country music, so we were listening to the country station while we were sorting the potatoes.

In the barn that day was Mr. Hunter, Grampa Hunter, Johnny Hunter, Slim, and me. When we started hearing news of the first plane hitting, everyone thought that it was some catastrophic accident, but still it didn’t seem right.

Mr. Hunter asked me to go and grab a television from another part of the barn. I grabbed the TV, brought it over by our sorting table, and we began watching the events unfold on live television. We had just started watching the television when the second plane approached the towers. At this point it became evident that the country was under attack.

Work didn’t stop. Farmers are too practical to stop working unless they absolutely have to stop. I established a work ethic while on the farm that makes me proud. If i had to be anywhere on that fateful day, I’m very glad that I was on the farm.

I still go back to the farm every now and then. The Hunters grow the best corn that I have ever tasted. I almost have a hard time eating fresh corn from anywhere else. The corn is only available for a few months out of the year, but during those months it is a treat.