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By: Jim Fitzpatrick |
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Email: jim@nunica.com |
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Local Farmer in Polkton Township writes for the Coopersville Observer. |
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At the edge of the field the land drops down to the creek at the bottom of the gully. There, an old apple tree has been growing for as long as anyone can remember. Others are scattered along these slopes that were at one time pastured to the cattle of farmers living here a generation or two ago. A single bright red fruit clings to a high drooping branch now leafless in the cool November air. The ground below is littered with the summers crop of apples giving off the sweet smelling fragrance of decaying fruit. Out in the open field the groan of a diesel engine can be heard as the farmer and his tractor churn up the soil and residue of this past seasons corn crop. A squirrel frantically gathers up the last few ears of corn left behind by the combine and runs off into the security of the woods as the tillage equipment makes its final pass along the edge of the open land. This little critter and the farmer will soon be dealing with the elements of the coming winter season, a quieter and less hectic time for them both. The old apple tree will hold its own as winter winds blow through its branches that will once again bear fruit in the coming year. |
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Along Brandy Creek By Jim Fitzpatrick
The Coopersville Observer – December 2, 2002 |
