The call went out, Peach party at 10. Eight sisters showed
up to peel and chunk a large quantity of peaches for cobbler—a gift from a
benefactor. That prompted memories of other “parties” at the monastery, some
featuring our own farm produce and some from generous families and neighbors. Every
sister remembers her novitiate as including lunchtime “recreation” at these
extra work details.
Picking blackberries on the
property seems to have been a common experience. The berries were not
thornless; the ground was not chigger-free (Off
was yet to be invented), but the dessert was great! Apple trees produced well.
Concord grapes purpled the pickers’ hands and sometimes their coifs, when
served on Sunday as grape juice. There were trips to a strawberry farm near
Union, and to Scott’s peach orchard on Amsterdam. You might get sent to the
field to cut kale or to squash bean beetles.
And then there were the train
wrecks and overturned trucks full of produce. When the produce company was not
able to sell the contents to a store, communities of sisters were often the
beneficiaries. No one will ever forget the bananas. There was a silent retreat
going on, and at every meal sisters looked for the form the bananas would take.
Banana bread, or banana slices on top of the chocolate pudding, or underneath
in the leftover pudding. Lots of eyeball
rolling at the silent meals. One night no one could find the bananas, but the
tablewaiters knew, for they ate before the others. Someone in the kitchen had
let it slip that the bananas were in the meatloaf!
A few years ago Sr. Cathy
started a garden in our back yard, growing cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, dill,
lettuce and sunflowers. We enjoy year-round pickles owing to her efforts and
that of a few others. Families and friends still provide us with produce,
sometimes in large quantities. A generous local market gives us a range of
produce.
Once in a while we get
bananas. Someone makes banana bread, but there have been no repeats of that
famous meatloaf!
Sr. Christa Kreinbrink, OSB
Thank you dear sister for this great writing which evokes 150 years of monastic life. I would like to obtain a dish of your fruit cobbler which would bless me with the work of your holy hands and feed me at the same time. I was reminded also of the poorer convents in Africa which have had to survive on one principal food source according to season, such as mealie or corn, and convents in the Philippines in ancient days it might well have been 100 per cent bananas for a few months, a blessed food to keep one alive, may the Lord send coconuts as well, and yams. I discovered something wonderful about bananas, if you chop them up and put them in a jar, sealed with a lid, they keep in the fridge for a long time, and gradually ripen. They release a banana gas which slows down the decay so that you can keep them for a month or more, whereas otherwise they will not last. I also found that they get sweeter! A secret came to me somehow, thanks be to God, from a gentle breeze from the blessed Philippines perhaps. God bless OSB, amen.
ReplyDeleteA funny and delightful story! I don't believe that bananas in meatloaf would be half bad. Very nutritious at the least. There are many other choices today that include the perfect fruit ……. banana cookies, banana cream pie, orange/banana cake,
ReplyDeletepancakes or waffles, ice cream etc. I have heard that the
banana is the perfect fruit representing the Holy Trinity. When peeled the banana comes apart in three sections. God is good.
Liz
sections. God is good and gave us a perfect food.
Very creative - bananas in meatloaf...we all can use the extra potassium. Great story.
ReplyDelete