Gardens and Porches

Gardens and Porches. . , Although almost bare of plantings now, former Quarters residents recall gardens, bushes, and flowering fruit trees that provided food, color, and shade. The area around each cabin was space tenants could treat as their own. , They planted flowers, corn, sweet potatoes, okra, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Gardens reduced the need to buy from the Plantation Store. Pigs and chickens, an important food source, were kept in yards or nearby pens. , Residents spent more time outside than inside and porches provided outdoor living space. The porch was a place to catch a cool breeze and some shade, to socialize, sew, prepare vegetables, and to watch over children at play., "We had a big garden...Peas, okra, tomatoes, pumpkins.. [c]ucumbers, I made pickles out of them." Uae Johnson, Oral History Interview 1996