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| Jake and Helen Kester (right-left) with a throng of carrots dug from their garden at their home at 355 East 100 North, Santaquin. |
“Cultivators
of the earth are the most virtuous and independent citizens,”
Thomas Jefferson said. Among
local residents of whom this praise speaks well are Jake and Helen
Kester. The Kesters have cultivated their spacious Santaquin lot
since the 1970s, with a plentiful vegetable garden, remarkable flower
patches, and fruit bearing bushes and trees growing throughout.
Fruit trees planted two by two—red
delicious and granny green apples, cherries, and Anjou and Bartlett
pears, add sweetness to life. As do the sprawling red, black, and
gold raspberries, and blackberries that grow and are picked by the
Kesters for themselves and others to indulge upon immediately or in
baked desserts.
Among the crops planted in their
vegetable garden this year were tomatoes, sweet peppers, yellow and
green bush beans that grew prolifically as far back as in June,
carrots, beets, zucchini, butternut, patty pan, and acorn squash
(though, the latter grew less large in size this year). Flowering
kale marks the edges of rows to signify where it's best not to step,
preserving the lifespan of the delightful eats and flowers
interspersed delightfully.
Plant success varies according to
circumstance and care. This past season, hot and dry, bore down
heavily on gardens throughout the region. A drip watering system
aided the Kesters with watering concerns, as it has done in seasons
past. Switched on in the cooler evening hours, water runs directly
to the roots, Helen noted, where it is required. They system does
require some work in the beginning, she added. Jake re-installs drip
system each spring, after the plowing and preparing the soil for a
new crop. But the effort is worthwhile in the end.
Aside from eating, prime picks are
reserved for entries in the Onion Days Flower Show. This is where
the Kesters' gardening expertise joins Helen's imagination and
creativity, with award-winning arrangements the result.
Drawing upon the best of her
flowers--asters, dahlias, marigolds, roses, and zinnias, Helen
painstakingly cuts, arranges, stores, and then transports her
stunning entries for competition in the local event. Helen has won
countless ribbons and prizes throughout the years. She has also
contributed prizes to other winners who join her in the competition.
Contribution extends even further, as
Helen arranges flower bouquets in vases for her fellow parishioners
to enjoy during services at her church in Payson.
The Kesters' labors result in a
plentiful range of edible and visual delights to enjoy and share with
others each year. Not only are they cultivators of the earth, but
cultivators of gracious kindness within the community.
Pictured: (top) Branches are weighted down by abundant red delicious apples blushing into their ripened hue; (center) newly picked black walnuts from a tree located in the backyard; (right) vibrant yellow and green beans have been in plentiful supply since June.
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