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Nature Done Wright
Incorporating the Celery Farm and Screech Owl Companion blogs
March 7, 2008
VIDEO: Celery Farm ‘Memories’
To celebrate the first anniversary of this blog, I did this three-minute video on Allendale’s Celery Farm, past and present.
It is based on a poem by Patricia L. Cooper, who grew up on one of the celery farms that inspired the name of this 109-acre nature refuge.
The video includes archival photos supplied by Patricia and her sister, as well as more recent photos.
The music is by the Hunger Mountain Boys.
Click "Continue reading…" to read the poem and more …
If you have old photos of the Celery Farm or other related material, please e-mail me at wright@northjersey.com
Here is the poem:
Layers of Memories
A Walk Around the Celery Farm
By Patricia L. Cooper
For you, it is a field of weeds, and punks and flittering birds.
I see lettuce, celery and zucchini squash,
Straight rows of black dirt, stacked sash frames
Glittering in the sun.
For you, it is a path to a quaint old tractor
And the Butterfly Garden.
I walk the path to Baba’s barn,
Where bushels of tomatoes are sorted for market
And Bessy the cow waits to be milked;
For you, cherry trees bloom in the spring and Foxes Run.
I see the path to Baba’s house, uphill,
Past the barns and the greenhouse.
For you, it is a path crossing a brook,
Blocked in by trees and high rushes.
I walk with a child’s stride, the long path to Zabriskie’s stream,
Where horses run in an open field.
For you, there is a path by a flowing stream,
Tunneled by branches overhead.
I hear my mother’s memories of the celery packing plant,
A large operation, bigger than the Bajor farm across the way,
But they often worked together on the really large orders.
Sometimes I see square ponds glistening with little golden fish;
A few escape and grow in to legends.
For you, and the geese, it is a wide stretch of open water,
Viewing platforms, swans’ nest, heron’s feast.
I tie my skates and hide my shoes in a secret place by the pump house,
Weave through narrow ditches to reach the Big Ditch,
Where goldfish swim beneath clear black ice and
The ice cracks look a foot deep.
Winter’s pond is where the big boys play hockey.
For you, there is a dark space and a punk filled mini swamp.
I see a still flowing stream, with fish and frogs,
A safe place to learn to skate.
For you, there is barking dog corner, a bend in the path.
I hear all the dogs of my childhood, and Mr. Jigs, a black and white
Scamp who would visit for a scratch and a snack,
But never stay with anyone.
He died from eating poison bait; it is his ghost you hear barking.
Bulrush sways
In a still June day
Redwing blackbird come,
And gone.
My path begins and ends at the Bajor Bench…
Cherish the Land.
copyright 2008 by Patricia L. Cooper, reprinted with permission
18 comments
-
Happy Anniversary, Seymour Drakes!
I remember when the horses used to wander loose down the path near the Warden’s Watch and peer out through the trees at busy Franklin Turnpike. More than once, I herded them back behind their gate.
Sigh. What will our video of now look like to the inheritors of the Celery Farm 20 years from now? -
KT,
Knock is no longer the Scoutmaster of Troop 59. I believe he moved to central Jersey some 10 years ago. I’m not sure who took over after him. -
For 28 years I worked at the highschool in Allendale. When I discovered the Celery Farm it became the lovely place to go and decompress after a hectic day with teenagers, a refuge in the materialistic environment of the suburbs, that reminds one what is really important. Thank you for the lovely video to recapture the memories.
-
Jim, Congratulations on your first anniversary of this blog and for creating such a well received video. It is a pleasure to hear how much everyone loves the celery farm past and present. Spending my entire childhood with the Celery Farm in my back yard was a wonderful gift which I hope to continue sharing with future generations.
-
Thanks for adding that information, Mr. Morse. I want to thank everyone who has contributed information or comments on the video. As many of you have said, the Celery Farm is a treasure for its past, present and future…
It is a reminder that progress can prserve open space once in a while, if the public insists…
Jim W. -
I was born in Allendale in 1952 and grew up in the house on the corner of Franklin Tpke. and Cottage Place. The celery farm was my back yard. The white horse barn someone asked about was built by Fred Walter I believe in the 50s. They kept horses for as long as I can remember. The Berry’s bought the house in the late 60s and also kept horses. The farm house was built by Arthur Appert who also built the house I lived in. Arthur was known as the celery king.
-
What sweet memories of a wonderful day and age of bygone times. Thanks to you and Stiles and many, many others who lovingly take care of our ‘farm’, the story continues for many more generations.
Keeping the past alive and learning from it is vital to living and learning. It is good for the soul, as well.
sally t. -
Congratulations on an excellent video. Have read about the rich history of the Celery Farm “In The Presence of Nature”. The preserved Celery Farm is so important as it continues to provide a natural sanctuary for wildlife. We have walked through the farm many times and are always in awe of its simplicity and beauty.
-
Very nicely done Jim.
Happy Anniversary! -
Is Knock still the Scoutmaster?
-
Jim,
I may have some photos in my attic taken from when I did my Eagle Scout project in the Celery Farm back in the 80’s. Another good resource may be Troop 59. A lot of Boy Scouts did their Eagle Scout projects there. -
Great job Jim. I love the way you wove the photos together with my poem. I hope it generates lots of memories for others. A celery farm archive is a great idea. Happy Anniversary on your blog, thanks for letting us celebrate with you!
-
I believe that was the Herbert horse barn, and was standing until the late 1990s, when it was torn down because it was decrepit and becoming a hazard.
As I recall the story, the Herberts lived in the Celery Farm farmhouse on Cottage Place, and donated the four acres of land where the Brewster Memorial Holly Grove now stands. -
Glad you enjoyed the video.
The poem is really great, and so are those old photos. If you have any old photos or celery crates, I’d love to see them. I want to create a Celery Farm archive. -
Yet another great video. Growing up in the early 80s, I still remember there being horses on the property (not far after Warden’s watch). Does anyone know the story there? I was sad when the horsebarn went down.
-
I was born in Allendale in 1934 and lived out my boyhood and teenage years in town. Now retired, I am again living in Allendale.
I recall vividly the years when the celery farm was a produtive farml I have faint memories of the Bajors boys and the Bajor farm. My older brothers, Harold and Bob,during the early 1940’s, used to go down to the farm on Saturday mornings and nail together wooden crates for a penny a piece. The crates were then used to package the freshly harvested celery.
I now often walk the path around the bird sanctuary and recall the memories of another time. Thank you for the poem and vedio. -
This is really wonderful! I hope we can access it in the future, along with the owl video that I enjoy so much.
-
Nicely done, thanks for sharing it.
Leave your comment
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18 comments
DjBrown
Happy Anniversary, Seymour Drakes!
I remember when the horses used to wander loose down the path near the Warden’s Watch and peer out through the trees at busy Franklin Turnpike. More than once, I herded them back behind their gate.
Sigh. What will our video of now look like to the inheritors of the Celery Farm 20 years from now?
Chris
KT,
Knock is no longer the Scoutmaster of Troop 59. I believe he moved to central Jersey some 10 years ago. I’m not sure who took over after him.
Rhoda Ferat
For 28 years I worked at the highschool in Allendale. When I discovered the Celery Farm it became the lovely place to go and decompress after a hectic day with teenagers, a refuge in the materialistic environment of the suburbs, that reminds one what is really important. Thank you for the lovely video to recapture the memories.
Marie Lukaszewski Breen
Jim, Congratulations on your first anniversary of this blog and for creating such a well received video. It is a pleasure to hear how much everyone loves the celery farm past and present. Spending my entire childhood with the Celery Farm in my back yard was a wonderful gift which I hope to continue sharing with future generations.
Jim Wright
Thanks for adding that information, Mr. Morse. I want to thank everyone who has contributed information or comments on the video. As many of you have said, the Celery Farm is a treasure for its past, present and future…
It is a reminder that progress can prserve open space once in a while, if the public insists…
Jim W.
Charles Morse
I was born in Allendale in 1952 and grew up in the house on the corner of Franklin Tpke. and Cottage Place. The celery farm was my back yard. The white horse barn someone asked about was built by Fred Walter I believe in the 50s. They kept horses for as long as I can remember. The Berry’s bought the house in the late 60s and also kept horses. The farm house was built by Arthur Appert who also built the house I lived in. Arthur was known as the celery king.
Sally Teschon
What sweet memories of a wonderful day and age of bygone times. Thanks to you and Stiles and many, many others who lovingly take care of our ‘farm’, the story continues for many more generations.
Keeping the past alive and learning from it is vital to living and learning. It is good for the soul, as well.
sally t.
Audrey
Congratulations on an excellent video. Have read about the rich history of the Celery Farm “In The Presence of Nature”. The preserved Celery Farm is so important as it continues to provide a natural sanctuary for wildlife. We have walked through the farm many times and are always in awe of its simplicity and beauty.
Doug M.
Very nicely done Jim.
Happy Anniversary!
KT
Is Knock still the Scoutmaster?
Chris
Jim,
I may have some photos in my attic taken from when I did my Eagle Scout project in the Celery Farm back in the 80’s. Another good resource may be Troop 59. A lot of Boy Scouts did their Eagle Scout projects there.
Pat Lukaszewski Cooper
Great job Jim. I love the way you wove the photos together with my poem. I hope it generates lots of memories for others. A celery farm archive is a great idea. Happy Anniversary on your blog, thanks for letting us celebrate with you!
jim wright
I believe that was the Herbert horse barn, and was standing until the late 1990s, when it was torn down because it was decrepit and becoming a hazard.
As I recall the story, the Herberts lived in the Celery Farm farmhouse on Cottage Place, and donated the four acres of land where the Brewster Memorial Holly Grove now stands.
jim wright
Glad you enjoyed the video.
The poem is really great, and so are those old photos. If you have any old photos or celery crates, I’d love to see them. I want to create a Celery Farm archive.
KT
Yet another great video. Growing up in the early 80s, I still remember there being horses on the property (not far after Warden’s watch). Does anyone know the story there? I was sad when the horsebarn went down.
Don Brown
I was born in Allendale in 1934 and lived out my boyhood and teenage years in town. Now retired, I am again living in Allendale.
I recall vividly the years when the celery farm was a produtive farml I have faint memories of the Bajors boys and the Bajor farm. My older brothers, Harold and Bob,during the early 1940’s, used to go down to the farm on Saturday mornings and nail together wooden crates for a penny a piece. The crates were then used to package the freshly harvested celery.
I now often walk the path around the bird sanctuary and recall the memories of another time. Thank you for the poem and vedio.
Carol Dickman
This is really wonderful! I hope we can access it in the future, along with the owl video that I enjoy so much.
Vern
Nicely done, thanks for sharing it.