Blue Shadows Farm: A Novel

9. Sophia’s Garden—May 1866

47 May 1866 The days became noticeably longer and warmer toward the end of May. One early morning, with dew hanging on everything and the sun creeping up over the trees to the east, Silas sat on the front porch of his new cabin with a cup of coffee. The smell of new pine wood mixed with the smells of the morning. He looked past the fenced barnyard that confined his sturdy team of oxen. He had just completed the wood-rail fence yesterday, so he no longer had to worry about his oxen wandering too far at night. Silas looked across the plowed field, about five acres, just to the west of his cabin. His neighbors Wolfgang Reinert and Justin Meadows helped him with the plowing and had even lent him their oxen, because the breaking plow required several ox teams to pull it. They used Wolfgang’s breaking plow, a sturdy implement with a heavy oak beam and a long steel moldboard that turned the heavily rooted soil and cut through the roots of the hazel brush and small scrub oaks that grew here and there in the otherwise grass-covered and hilly prairie. The pleasant, fresh smell of newly turned soil was new to Silas. With land plowed, Silas began to feel like a farmer, 9 Sophia’s Garden even though he knew his father back in New York wanted him in the family harness shop. Silas had not written his father the real reason he had moved to central Wisconsin, to Ames County. He would in due time, but he wanted it to be a surprise, and besides, it was much too early to let him know. What he didn’t need was someone, like a father, to dash his hopes and dreams in these early stages. Meadows had lent Silas a small sack of corn kernels and showed him how to punch holes in the newly turned furrows, drop a kernel of corn in each small hole, and cover it with his foot. He had said, “When your crop comes in, you can give me back some seed corn.” Silas had agreed the deal was more than fair, but he was a little skeptical about whether he would get any crop at all. The sod was heavy with a fierce tangle of roots, not especially conducive to corn growing, Silas thought. Silas lit up his pipe and leaned back in the chair that Olaf Hanson had made for him. He was waiting for Sophia Reinert to arrive. Wolfgang had volunteered her to help Silas plant his vegetable garden in a freshly plowed space behind his cabin. He heard the hoofbeats before he saw the horse and rider. Sophia, a big smile on her face, carried a small sack in one hand. She effortlessly slid off her horse. “Got morning,” she said. Her yellow hair shone in the sunlight. “You ready for garden planting?” “Never planted a vegetable garden before,” Silas said. “My mother always planted our garden at home and took care of it, too. I helped my pa with his work.” “Never too old to learn garden planting,” Sophia said. She wore a loose-fitting gingham dress. Even with her loose clothing Silas could see that Sophia was developing into an attractive young woman. Sophia showed Silas how to lay out rows in the garden, using a length of string she had brought with her to mark them. Together 48 Sophia’s Garden—May 1866 49 Sophia’s Garden—May 1866 they planted carrots and radishes, turnips and potatoes, two rows of sweet corn, and several hills of squash and pumpkins. As they worked, Sophia talked constantly. She was filled with questions. “Silas, what from life do you want?” “What?” Silas was a bit surprised by her question. “Oh, I don’t rightly know.” “You do not have a big plan?” “I guess not,” Silas said. “You not want to be rich? Live in a big house? Have servants help you, like I read about in books?” Silas laughed. “Maybe you’re reading too much.” “No, no never read too much. Books how I find out. Learn about other places. Other people. Learn how other people live. What they want.” Silas decided to turn the tables. “What do you want when you grow up, Sophia?” “Me?” Sophia smiled. “I want to do something important. I want to be like famous men...