Growing Vegetables, Settlement and Memories from St. Bride’s, Newfoundland

Here’s Pat Brennan chatting to me a few weeks ago and showing me how he still grows his potatoes using the old fashioned way of simply turning the sod over on the potato seed. My own mother did it this way but was great to see Pat and a lot of his neighbours still planting them this way. The chat moves on him chatting about how the Irish came to this part of Newfoundland and how they turned from farmers to fishermen while he also talks about potato pits and salting cabbage and vegetables. He makes reference to The Truck System, The Winter Diet and subsistence living - the word ‘truck’ and ‘trucking’ is still in use today. The chat also covers dates for planting and rooting the spuds as well how they still use kelp in all their gardens. Love how he also also have that term “There’s always room for one more” when it comes to being able to feed an extra mouth at the kitchen table and there's a great memory of his father and the Sunday Dinner.

Anyway, have a listen.

Text:@Michael Fortune