Greasy Beans and Greene County Okra

Most neighbors around these parts are kind and generous with what they have. It is the natural way of living in rural mountain communities, where towns and cities are far and self reliance is more of a daily situation than it is in most of modern America. Of course modern conveniences are prevalent way out in the mountains these days too, but most people still feed themselves at least partly off their land, solve most of their own problems, kill their own varmin, take care of their own sick, and call their own neighbors when they need a hand. I have been amazed with the generosity with which I have been received as a new community member. I don't know if it has to do with being a lady gal who is stepping into rural mountain living solo or what, but the kindness has been off the chain. Just this weekend a neighbor friend from up Cedar Cliff gave me enough seeds to get my own patch of greasy beans and okra going. A cup of each should give a good start to eat some and save the rest for next year. The seeds were the great great grandchilden of seeds that had originally been given to him by older gardeners who had grown theirs out and saved seeds over the years. These seeds are prodigies of plants who have fed generous neighbors over the years and have been selected to thrive in our pretty little mountain region here. I planted mine out yesterday. Godspeed little seeds of good eating and human kindness...