Fiery hot July signaled tomato-picking time in the Longenecker family in the 1950s.
Two generations of women in our family worked hard in the fields in torrid temperatures. When I look at a film clip that Aunt Ruthie took of Mom in the tomato rows, I see her body humped over, bending toward a tomato bush flush with fruit. When she faces the camera, her blue and white speckled sunbonnet materializes, headgear much fancier than her everyday prayer covering. Then down she bends again, laboring up and down the tomato rows.
Watch the 39-second video starring our helper Timmy Barnhart and Mother, who looks up and smiles near the end!
Working in our family’s acreage in Bainbridge, I was being groomed to be a hard worker too. In a field of 9.1 acres—1/2 of it field corn and the other ½ tomatoes—I joined my Mother Ruth and Aunt Ruthie planting, hoeing, and harvesting tomatoes from May through August for years.
Aunt Ruthie with a head scarf and me in pigtails hoeing tomato plants in the Bainbridge field, 1950s, I’m probably in the 3rd grade here.
If we had a bumper crop of tomatoes, we’d call in extra help. Timmy Barnhart, ”Barney”—a squat, jaunty farmer in denim overalls would meet us at the field and help with the harvest. That man surely knew how to work but cared too about my feelings. When he joined us, every so often he handed me a Reed’s butterscotch candy twisted into yellow cellophane that he knew a ten-year-old tomato picker like me would savor. Other times with his chunky arms, he pulled out the red licorice packets he had stuffed into his pockets to sweeten the labor. When I looked at a screen shot from Aunt Ruthie’s movies, straw-hatted Barney reminded me of one harnessed like “an ox to a heavy cart,” people who submerge / in the task, who go into the fields to harvest / and work in a row and pass the bags along” as poet Marge Piercy observes in “To Be of Use.”
Mornings were spent in back-breaking labor, but at noon came a bagged lunch under the maple trees, and finally—what I’d been waiting for all day—an ice cream treat late afternoon from Nagel’s Grocery Store, just a short walk down the alley and around the corner on Second Street in Bainbridge Nagel’s store had oiled, wooden floors just like school, and best of all, an oscillating fan breathing out puffs of air to cool us off. Smiley Anna Grace stood behind the counter. Barney, a widower, liked her and they chatted for a while, giving my back, neck, and arms sweet reprieve from the blazing sun, the fan breeze evaporating sweat from my body. Before we left, Barney ordered two pints of Breyers Neapolitan ice cream in a frosty, square box. I watched as Anna Grace cut each in half with a butcher knife. Then she put four flat wooden spoons into a paper bag with the cold treat. Before long, we were back in the field to share a cool late afternoon snack with Mom and Aunt Ruthie. (Adapted from Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl)
In our family, ice cream came last—delayed gratification: Work before play.
Kandy McKensie “All Things Vintage” Facebook, Feb. 4, 2023
Tomato baskets loaded up on flat-bed truck at the end of the day . . .
© Cliff Beaman
Melissa Kirsch, in an opinion piece titled “Future Perfect,” asks the question:
“Does taking care of our future selves have to mean sacrifice in the present?” In other words, “Do we deprive ourselves now to enjoy a future benefit? (The New York Times, February 21, 2026).
She cites the phenomenon of drivers increasingly backing their cars into parking spots.
Cars in the Parking Lot at our Neighborhood Publix Grocery Store
Of course, unless you find two empty spots end-to-end and pull through so you’re facing out, you’re going to back up coming or going. Apparently though, backing in makes it easier to get out. “Backers-inners, it seemed, preferred doing the harder maneuver first.” Kirsch continues, “The backer-inners are thinking about their future selves, performing the fussier parking job now” so that when they return to their cars, they can reap the benefits of getting on the road faster.
I had to think about this notion, not just with my driving habits, but in my everyday life.
- Do I open the mail the day it comes in rather than let it pile up on the counter, to avoid over-whelm later?
- Do I clean up the kitchen before going to bed, so I’ll wake up to a tidier house?
- Do I work on a potentially taxing writing project before snuggling into a cozy book or flipping on Netflix?
What do you think?
Good morning, Marian! I think how fortunate you are to have those photos and home movies! How wonderful for you to be able to see your mother working and smiling. Someone made these records for your future self.
It was my Aunt Ruthie. She was single, educated, and had disposable income. My sisters and I received the benefits of her having a movie camera. Originally, the film segments of Hallowe’en, Easter, gathering of relatives,tomato picking and much more–were all in one piece. Cliff spent quite a bit of time adjusting the beginning and endings of this movie, so I could create a YouTube video, which took no time at all!
Yes, having this historical and personal record is priceless. Thanks so much for recognizing this, Merril! 😀
That video is such a treasure, Marian! I’m all for pulling through parking spaces to face out, but don’t understand those who back in. That’s too much work for me. I’ll drive around the block so I don’t have to parallel park too!
You are a savvy driver and parker, Linda. We live in the suburbs of a large city, so parking is more problematic. Thanks for sharing! 😀
I love the video of working in the tomato field. Our mothers worked very hard. But still they smiled! We were also taught “work before pleasure”. It is ingrained in us and I just naturally do that. You are lucky to have that video.
We have a strong work ethic, ingrained from our immigrant ancestors, I believe. Yes, the video is precious, part of a series of family events that Aunt Ruthie was smart to record long ago.
Thanks, Darlene! 😀
Lovely memories backed by the video and images you are lucky you have those photos to go with the memories 🙂 x
Yes, I am well aware that the video reinforces the memories. Thanks for noticing that, Carol! 😀
We finish almost every day with a dip or two of ice cream, usually vanilla.
You are lucky to have that video reminder–love Ruthie and her diligence in getting photos and even “film.” We usually have 3-4 rows of tomatoes that we share generously especially at VMRC (retirement home here) and church, but those fields and bushel baskets full of those ripe tomatoes–amazing!! Whew it makes me tired thinking of it. My husband is finally thinking we may have to cut back on our small tomato rows. We’ll see!
Ice cream is calming and, if your have an acidic stomach, a balm for the belly at the end of the day.
How lovely that you share your tomato crop to neighbors and also to residents of VMRC. There is nothing like tomatoes fresh off the vine. Cutting back just a wee bit may ease the burden of planting-hoeing-picking, all hard work for you and Stuart.
About my experience as a girl: Back then, we didn’t think so much about the hard work; we had the land, and the example of farmers before us.
Thanks, Melodie! 😀
As an artist it has been fascinating (and sometimes a challenge) to bring to life some of the old 16mm films into these stories. Most of your Grandma Fannie’s postcards were so well preserved they were like a jar of jam she made 100 years earlier, opened and one could still enjoy the aromatic visual memory.
You can see here how much readers enjoy the video—days of yore brought to life. Thanks for all your efforts, and for restoring old photos and artifacts. So appreciated! ((( )))
This post brings back lots of memories for me, Marian!! Working in the cotton and peanut fields was something I remember doing as a young child in Paraguay. We didn‘t know about ice cream, but that watermelon, cooled in the well, was so delicious!
I love the picture of you as a young girl!
I remember Daddy bringing a cool watermelon sometimes at the end of the day. He’d crack it open and we ate with our hands, probably licking our fingers too.
You have precious memories of hard work and its rewards too, Elfrieda! 😀
I love the van-choc-straw reward at the end!
Yes, it was lovely back then. And even now: I usually eat the strawberry or chocolate first. Vanilla last. Thanks, Liz!
You’re welcome, Marian!
Lovely tales of by-gone happening. And a thoughtful process at the end. Thanks Marian.
And thank you for joining the conversation too, Joy! 😀
Loved all of this, Marian, but chuckled most at the question about whether to back into a parking space or pull into it nose forward. Stuart loves to back in. He credits his farm experience as a boy and loves back-up cameras that are now standard issue for cars.
I skimmed the article in the NYTimes on the day it was published, mostly because I thought Stuart might enjoy knowing more people are following his example of backing in. The Neapolitan ice cream reminded me of the weekly stop of the Kuntzleman’s ice cream truck at our house. We usually got 5 half gallons in the summer time. If we were lucky, we were allowed to get a box of chocolate-covered vanilla popsicles! Stuart and I stopped in at the Bush Family Home Museum in Midland, TX, and we discovered lots of 1950s nostalgia items. You would love it too.
I have no idea what role gender plays in the “back-in or back-out” game. Maybe the backer-inners think it’s a manly thing to do, like Stuart. By the way, we have a box of chocolate-covered vanilla popsicles in our freezer now.
I’m guessing from your itinerary, you have already visited the family of the birthday boy and are getting close to Arizona. Happy travels, precious memories, Shirley! 😀
We don’t keep ice cream in the house because I have no willpower when it comes to that. Once in a great while, I will treat myself as a reward, but that’s a slippery slope because I can eat a pint in one sitting. I’ve never been a person who backs into parking spots, but I understand why people do it. I relate to the notion of doing the hard part first when it comes to chores. I’d rather get the stuff out of the way that I dislike the most.
Pete, you really demonstrate the Greek maxim, “Know thyself.” Whether it was Socrates who said it or not, you certainly have willpower. And self-discipline. And I’m not surprised that you do the hard stuff first. I believe I’m like that too: Do the chores; then relax. I don’t know about you, but I learned that from my family growing up.
It’s always good to hear from you! 😀
Oh, I love that photo of you working hard with a big smile, Marian! Thanks for sharing your family harvesting tomato story complete with a video! 😊 I tried the link to get into the full article “Future Perfect” but they have a pay wall. I am fascinated by this concept of people backing in representing getting the hard work done first. I see so much of this where I live and I never understand it. A friend ‘s husband is always trying to get her to do it, but she doesn’t like it (like me.) I’ll take my lumps when I leave haha; maybe I’m just a procrastinator. I like how you took it a step further with other tasks. I’m definitely thinking of my future self with opening mail and cleaning up and morning walks – it feels good to get it done, haha. I don’t want to wait until it gets too hot. This was a fun post – thanks, Marian.
I’m glad you thought it was a fun post, Melanie. You know how it goes: I think of one thing that leads to another thing. . . and so it goes!
About backing in to parking spaces. Ahem! I generally won’t do it unless there are no cars parked on either side of mine. And even though I have 360-degree cameras on my car, I don’t feel comfortable backing up. I’m always thankful for your insights, Melanie! 😀
That’s more than I will try; good for you! 😄
😀
Hi Marian, I always enjoy your posts and pictures about your past. I helped harvest courgettes once. A hard and dirty job.
Robbie, I had to look up the word courgettes. So now I recognize it as zucchini, or summer squash. Both this and tomato-picking are hard and dirty jobs. But there are rewards. (I still enjoy eating tomatoes in salads, etc. in spite of my early “farming” life.) Thanks for helping to expand my culinary vocabulary. 😀
I’ve always been taught work before play and that’s what I do. I also try to deal with things as they come, not procrastinate. But there are days… 😉
Jenn, it’s lovely to see you here. I’ve been neglecting you. . . sorry! Going right over to check out your recent episodes. 😀
That box of triple flavore “Ice Milk” is most nostalgic. My sister got the chocolate, me, the vanilla, and my granfmother the strawberry, but that was always after weed pulling and transplanting pot of plants.
It’s good to reconnect.
WELCOME BACK, SUSAN!
Gee, seeing you here seems like old times. See, you can relate to “deferred gratification” too. I wonder if you preferred the vanilla or if others got first dibs–ha! 😀
What a gift to have the photos and video! “Back in the day,” when people did “back-breaking” jobs. We as a society have become so soft now. The reward was bountiful, especially when it included ice cream. Question – did you wear sunscreen ‘back in the day’ when you were a young girl working in those fields? And did you like tomatoes?
I’m usually a ‘get it done’ person – wash the dishes before going to bed, I always open the mail as soon as I retrieve it, and I won’t reward myself with a ‘sit down with a good book’ until I finish the demanding tasks at hand. Which means usually I don’t get to read until I sink into bed around 9! Fortunately, I can read a good hour or more before falling asleep.
BUT NO, I don’t back in when entering the parking lot. Much too stressful. I prefer to back out carefully and slowly after I’ve finished my chore/errand. 🙂
Pam, you always supply a robust comment here, covering all the bases. Thank you!
No, I did not wear sunscreen. In the olden days (my habitat then), we thought sunscreen was just for tanning when we went to the beach at Atlantic City. Coppertone was popular then. Fortunately, I don’t have skin cancer or too many wrinkles (!) now, but I do believe the sun exposure may have affected my eyesight. Yes, I still like tomatoes and use them in salads and spaghetti sauce, just as I did today!
I agree with you about parking. Only when there is plenty of space on both sides in the parking lot will I venture to back my car in.
Wishing you a relief from snow and the bursting forth of crocuses and daffodils, Pam! 😀
Thanks for the daffodil wishes. I didn’t use sunscreen when I was a child/teen either. Added iodine and sunned. Unfortunately, I’ve had skin cancer since. Good news is we have access to great dermatologists!
Good for you!
Those car drivers backing into parking spots is such a great example of “future perfect”. I hadn’t thought of that being the reason as, honestly, backing out of a (tight) parking spot seems easier to me than backing into it.
In general, though, Mark and I are both on the same page when it comes to doing the most difficult (or annoying, or stressful, or painful) part first. Especially chores. No dirty dishes left in our sink. Ever.
Another example is how both of us have been living very frugally for decades to have those saving “fruits” pay off in the future. I guess it’s like retirement. It’s the reward for working hard your entire lives – doing the most difficult and tiring part first. 🙂
Liesbet, your blog shows frugal living to the utmost. In fact, you show how accountable you are every month with itemized expenses. And I can imagine that you don’t want dirty dishes in a small space either. Because we live in Florida, dirty dishes would surely attract roaches. And, that I could not stand.
Cliff and I both have an ingrained work ethic: Work before pleasure. Oddly, that has persisted into retirement, which I’m not sure is a good thing.
Nice to hear from you again! 😀
Hi Marian, I enjoyed everything about this post. Seeing your mother in the video shows how hard she was working. Despite the work, she seems to have some levity about her with that hat and, am I right, does it match her dress? I love it. Although my parents weren’t doing the difficult work that farms required, they worked hard and I think I picked up on that. I can’t relax until the nagging work is finished. As we get older, backing in to a parking space, or better yet, pulling through when you’re lucky to find a spot like that, is the way to go!
Barb, I never noticed that my mom’s work dress and sun bonnet matched, but maybe you’re right: perhaps she made them out of the same fabric. It would be like her to do that. I’m pretty sure, though, she didn’t have a head-dress to match every dress–she was way too busy (and economical) for that.
I agree about parking: “pulling through” is the best way–no backing out! 😀