During the past two weeks, I have spent an extraordinary
amount of time focusing on food. Not on
eating it, or even cooking it, but on preserving it. Four bushels of green beans, six bushels of
peaches, 1200 ears of corn—not to mention tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and potatoes,
which are still underway.
Yes, it’s harvest season, and we Hessongs take it
seriously. We are not Amish, and we are
not preppers, but each summer we can, freeze, dry, and store bushels of
produce, filling pantry shelves and basement freezers with food to enjoy for
months to come. The work, the routine, and
the jars and jars of preserved fruits and veggies have all become part of our
summer heritage, and we continue these old-fashioned rituals as much for the
company as for the food we put away. Perhaps more for the company, truth be
told.
As I worked alone last week to pick, husk, cook, cut, and
freeze fifty (a measly 50!) ears of corn from my own garden, I reflected on the
contrast of my lonely work with the social labor of the day before, when
nephews, parents, sisters, spouses – up to 10 people at any
given time of the day-- worked to tackle a pick-up bed loaded with freshly
picked sweet corn from my dad’s field.
That was a long but good day, and we accomplished a task that would have
been daunting, if not impossible, to do alone.
As I worked on my solo task, pulling corn from boiling water
and dropping it to cool in the sink, my mind turned to the “End of Summer Play”
group (and the blog I had to create!) and the value of collaboration. The corn harvest work had been much more fun
and productive with the whole family working together. Similarly, my teaching and learning has
benefited from collaboration. I thought
of the group of teachers I am privileged to work with at the University of
Maryland and the UMD National Writing Project.
Over the past four years, I have had valuable times of teaching,
writing, and researching alone, but some of the richest experiences I’ve had
came from collaborating with the talented, creative, and dedicated folks around
me. I’ve learned so much from this
professional community, and I’m looking forward to getting new ideas from our
“play group.” Thanks to all of you for
being such supportive colleagues who are willing to share your resources,
insights, and talents.
