You Grow Your Own Food? – Stretching the season

We’re stretching the season a bit this year, testing the waters in a move towards winter gardening in the next few years. We have beets, kohlrabi, lettuce, and peas planted late summer for harvest this winter. So far, so good. We throw plastic tarps over the plants on nights with frost predicted then remove in the morning.

Beets

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Peas

Peas

Peas

Crosby “Bing” Clifton Hurd 1915-1997 WWII Veteran

As I brew Boumpy’s Beer today, I will be keeping all the great memories I have of my grandfather we called Boumpy. I wish he were around to meet his great grandchilren, they would have loved that jolly round man I knew as Boumpy. He’ll forever be my secret Santa Claus or as we called him (to keep the secret from the other children) Boumpy Claus.

Crosby Clifton Hurd (“Bing”), born June 9, 1915 in Brockton, Massachusetts.
Parents were Byron Edmund Hurd of Brockton, and Ida Frank (Bates) Hurd, also
of Brockton.
He Graduated from Brockton High School in 1935.
His first job was at the local Comet Market. Then he went on to be the Assistant
Chef at the State Hospital in Lakeville. After that he went into the business of turning
lasts for shoes and worked for many local companies, being loaned out as he was needed.
At the start of World War II he was drafted to turn out gun stocks. Also he was deaf in
one ear, with no ear drum. However, he got his “greetings” three days before his
wedding.
He was married to Olive May Lenihan, of Brockton, on September 30, 1942, at
the Warren Avenue Baptist Church. He played semi-professional basketball and coached
many teams at various times. Bing also won the Golden Gloves for boxing in Chicago in
1942, while he was in the service.
After the war Bing had a home bakery delivery route for a couple of years, then
went on to manage the canteen while the Brockton V.A. Hospital was being built.
Finally he came full circle and went back to last turning, retiring from Vulcan Last
company in 1979.
While in Brockton Bing was active in the Warren Avenue Baptist Church and
held many positions, being a Trustee for many years. He was also a charter member of
the Beacon Lighters of the church.
After living at 523 Summer Street in Brockton for 35 years Bing moved to
Cranberry Village, a mobile home park in South Carver, Ma early in 1978. There he has
been active in the association and manager of the clubhouse (with no pay, but keeping
peace in the park.) Bing now has the main room in the clubhouse named “Bing Hurd’s
Room” in appreciation of his efforts.
Bing is now a member of the First Congregational Church of Wareham where he
has served on boards, been President of the Congregators for two years and of the Men’s
Club for two years.
In Carver he has served on the Finance Committee, the SeaMass Committee, the
original North Carver Fire Station Committee, and as Chairman of the Shurtleff Park
Trustees.
Bing started the South Carver Lions Club in 1986 and served as President for
three years. He has been on many boards and committees and the Hearing Foundation
for 5 years. In 1995 Bing was named a Melvin Jones Fellow.
During Bing’s three years in service he was a radio mechanic and operator in
Deanthorpe, England, and he flew in nineteen missions, being shot down over France
once. His one good ear started to fade shortly after he returned to U.S. and has steadily
decreased since then, due in part to an explosion he was involved in at the base.
For about ten years Bing was Carver’s own Mr. Santa Claus, going to schools,
nursing homes and other groups.
In 1945 we purchased land in Indian Mound Beach in Wareham, Ma. And built a
cottage there, which we lived in from the day school was out until the day before school
began in the Fall. We sold this in 1965 and started camping with a tent as our first
choice. We graduated to a tent trailer and finally had three different trailers, each one a
little larger. In 1966 we purchased land in Freedom, New Hampshire, and eventually
built on it. We loved the mountains but the responsibility of having it and taking care of
Olive’s mother was too much of a conflict, so we finally sold it.

-Excerpt from “Olive May (Lenihan) Hurd’s Life…In her own words.”

You Make Your Own Beer, Wine , and Mead? Racking and bottling

Bottled my blessed bitter tonight, then racked my dandelion mead and dandelion wine. All samples taste great! Brewing an IPA tomorrow in honor of my Veteran grandfather. Slowly whittling down this extra stock. Thinking about some small batch specialty/experimental brews for the near future and perhaps some hops candy and hops wine.