Planting season preparations are in full swing for Eugene Ripley of Onemo. The 93-year-old has been hard at work preparing his garden and growing produce in his front porch to be ready for another growing season.
Ripley has at least one garden he maintains each year, spanning decades. He’s always grown his own produce either out of necessity or joy. He’s grown everything from corn to cantaloupe throughout the years, always growing something for his family to eat.
Ripley said that at 93 there is only so much he can still do. He takes more breaks than he used to but still works as hard as his body will let him. He said his family helps when they can, but only he knows how to do things right.
The amount Ripley grows is often more than he and his family can eat. He says that it’s better to just give it away than have the fresh food go bad. In the past he’s given his surplus of produce to friends, acquaintances and restaurants. He said last year he rolled a wheelbarrow to Onemo post office ...