July 29, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. The Lunch Tree.

The tree was right in the middle of our field. When surrounded by all the grasses in this huge field, the tree all by itself looked ridiculous. Ken and I walked over to see the tree and decided it was a shag bark hickory tree in very good condition, but we were still puzzled by it's location right in the center of the field at the farm. Once we noticed it, we found that most fields had a tree situated right in the center of the big field. It seemed to be that the tree was a nuisance with the machines always going around the tree. It made no sense to me.

That evening while sitting around chatting with Denver Barnes over at the Jay's farm, I asked Denver why on earth that tree was right in the middle of our fields. He looked at me strangely, I'm sure wondering why this city girl was so stupid. But he gave me the answer to the mystery. In the olden times, when the folks were clearing the forest to allow the planting of the crops, a large tree was always left in the middle of the field, so the horse and the farmer could rest for lunch in the shade of the big tree. It was called The Lunch Tree and is still left in every field, even though the horse no longer works in the field. But very often, at noon time, you will find the farmer having his lunch, right under the Lunch Tree. The only difference is that the tractor is by his side, also in the shade.

Now, every time I look at a large field, I look for The Lunch Tree. I don't know what we will do when the old trees die.