Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
In the pioneer days of this community, clearing land was an arduous process involving ingenious methods for removing dense hardwood forests. Settlers used a mix of Native American techniques and their own ingenuity, relying heavily on hand tools and animal labor.
Probably the most common and effective method was girdling the trees and waiting.
The pioneer settlers would strip a ring of bark from around the base of a tree or make deep cuts with an axe. This would starve the tree of nutrients, causing it to die and lose its leaves. This would open up the canopy to sunlight.
With sunlight reaching the forest floor, the pioneers could cultivate the crops around the dead trees. Over time, the trees would decay enough to be easily felled. Sometimes the trees would be burned in a controlled manner. This method was learned from the native people. The ash created nutrient rich fertilizer for the soil, boosting the crops for a few seasons.
Removing the tree stumps was a difficult and time-consuming task. Shovels and axes were used to dig out roots and break down stubborn stumps. Doing this by hand was a testament to the hard work and determination of the pioneer families. Oftentimes, animal teams were used to pull out smaller trees and stumps. This was extremely demanding and required immense physical stamina.
The German Immigrants would painstakingly clear the land, grind the stumps, and build stone walls to clear the fields. The steep, rocky terrain made clearing extremely demanding and required immense physical stamina. Most often, a family might work from sunup to sundown to clear just a small parcel of land for crops. (When reminiscing about working in the fields, the writer’s mother, Carrie Pitsenbarger Schulz would tell how she was sure that rocks grew.)
After clearing the land, the men used the cleared wood for construction and trading, and continued to hunt for food. Their work was essential for the family’s survival.
Men would plant crops like corn, beans, and squash, often bringing their techniques from the country from which they came.
With felled timber, men would build rustic log cabins for their families. They also constructed structures, such as fences and barns, using notched logs and wooden shingles.
Hunting remained an important part of their lives, supplementing their family’s diet with wild animals.
There is no doubt that these men worked hard from sunup to sundown. Their determination and drive leaves much for the present population to duplicate.
Life’s little instructions to live by include the following:
- Eat around the table with one’s family,
- Give hugs.
- Be kind.
- Attend church regularly.
- Give compliments.
Everyone is making one last lickety-split dash in the hay making process. Mornings and evenings are cool with the daylight bringing on much heat. Even though time seems to pass more slowly in Sugar Grove, and then even with a watch, fax machine, printer or calendar, the days begin to blend into one another like watercolors. The leaves are beginning to do their thing, strutting their stuff. Will they be putting on a show or has the lack of moisture affected that activity?
This week’s quotes are as follows:
“Be yourself; everyone else is taken.” — Oscar Wilde
“Even dust, when piled up, can become a mountain.” — Japanese Proverb
“Tread softly, all the earth is holy ground.” — Christina Rossetti
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.” — Yogi Berra
Sitting on the patio is the best place to be when hearing the “Talk of the Grove.”
Karla and Jim Moats, along with Montana and Troy Hise, traveled to North Carolina to visit with the Brian Simmons family. Highlighting their visit was a night out at the theater to see the Broadway show “Beauty and the Beast.” A wonderful time was had by all.
Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger is presently a resident of the Pendleton Manor. Stop by and pay a visit.
Sugar Grove has a new resident. Wrenly Rose Rader was born Sept. 4. She weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 19 inches. She has made her parents, Travis Rader and Holly Kisamore, her grandparents, Willie and Donna Rader, and great-grandparents, Willard and Judy Rader, very proud. But the proudest of all is her older sister, Gwen. Congratulations!
On Saturday, several folk from this community motored to Morgantown to enjoy the West Virginia University/Pittsburgh ballgame.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
Japan’s bullet trains have had zero accidents in almost 60 years, and they all run within 1 minute of schedule.
Juneau, Alaska, has been named three times — Harrisburg, Rockwell, and finally Juneau, named in 1881.
A group of flamingos are known as a “flamboyance.”
The Muppets were created by Jim Henson.
The Appalachian Trail crosses 14 states.
Concerns are for Mike Adams, Charles Anderson, Joan Ashley, Roger Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Dave Basagic, Allen Beachler, “Bo” Boggs, Larry Byers, Joyce Calhoun, Christy Sole, Marie Cole, Austin Conn, Stanley Dahmer, Kim Davis, Jennifer Errett, Isaac Eye, the family of Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Carl Gant, David Gillispie, Patsy Green, JC Hammer, Sharon Harr, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Hannah Hedrick, Jack and Starr Hedrick, the family of Morgan Hedrick, Chuck and Tracy Hiett, Jim Hiner, Evan Hise, Tim Hively, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Julia Homan, the family of Bill Hoover, Delbert Olin Hoover, Keith Hoover, the family of Maxine Hoover, Debbie Horst, the Bill Huffman family, Bob and Cynthia Hurry, Mike and Lisa Jamison, Linda Jones, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Tara Kelley, Ruth Kile, Ginger Kimble, Tom and Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Laura Kropp, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, Donna Mallow, Roger and Skip Mallow, Audree Marsh, Anna Mauzy, Ed May, Gene and Joan McConnell, Gary McDonald, the Neil McLaughlin family, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Dottie Mitchell, Tom and Brandon Mitchell, the family of Thomas “Harvey” Jerry Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Gloria Moats, Jim Moats, Helen Nash, Aaron Nelson, Dwight Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryle Paine, Terri Parker, Andy Pond, Wayne Price, Janice Propst, Alda Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, the Virginia Propst family, Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger, the family of Matthew Putz, Tom Rader, Willard Rader, Brandon Reel, Jason Rexrode, Jimmy Rexrode, Linda Fay Rexrode, Bernie Sasscer, Annie Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Greg Simmons, Judy Simmons, Nelson Simmons, Tonya Simon, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Ed and Carolyn Smith, Natalie Stephenson, Tina Stuben, Steve Stump, Carolyn Thomas, Linda and Larry Vandevander, Sandra Vandevander, Amy Vaus, Estelle and Don Wagner, Mary Louise Waldschlager, the family of Amby Waybright, Jr., Mike Waybright, Rene White, Sherry Wilfong, Judy Williams and Ann and Ed Wimer.
