Barbara RoodA Young Life

Full of Surprises…

A baby in the twilight of the 1920’s….

A child of the early 1930’s….

The innocence of the late 1930’s…

Age 11

…and Coming of Age during the War Years of the 1940’s ….

…Barb didn’t waste a minute of it!

…but she knew how to have fun too!

By the time she was 18 she had:

• Met some of the Great Statesmen of the day

• Traveled to some of the nations biggest cities

• Received numerous Statewide Awards

All for doing what she loved to do...

Barb was a Natural GardenerNext to her home on Fairview Avenue in Binghamton, NY she tended a 4,425 sq. ft. plot.

“…growing 16 different types of vegetables, (also) asters and zinnias. She sold $12.80 of (produce) from her garden, stored root crops for her family and canned 259 cans of vegetables for home use.”

Local Newspaper Account

You Could Say Gardening was in Barb’s BloodBarb’s mother, Grace, was a passionate gardener (and local 4H Club Leader) and instilled this love for growing things …and her Dad, Orrin Rood, was brought up on a farm…

Maybe her future success in gardening was pre-ordained…

Barbara’s Brother Would Not be Left Out…just took him a bit longer…

Uncle Tom out did them all becoming a renowned daylily expert, along with Aunt Kathy have grown one of the world’s most prominent Daylily Gardens…the remarkable 4-acre, aptly named, Grace Gardens.

My guess in 1946 Tom had other things on his mind…

Naturally Barb Joined the 4H Club

She made her own “Record Book” of 4H Activities and Accomplishments…so well made with a wood cover, hinges and twine for binding that it still exists to this day much as she left it in 1947…

Her Garden Was Amazing…

Here’s a page in her 4H Record Book from 1945 you can see its size and scope (that’s Uncle Tom in the upper left).

(As a young visitor to Fairview Ave in the 1960’s I would have loved to see it…but by then I guess it was replaced by houses?)

…and Barb was an amazing gardener!

With a Girlfriend...

Barb also had Other Interests…

Clothes Making was something she excelled in

Backyard Fashion Show

Casual Wear…

(Is that little fella Uncle Tom?)

Play Wear…

1941

(Kimono PajamasWon her 1st Blue

Ribbon)

Evening Wear…

And Sportswear too…

Barb Wins Dozens of Ribbons in the 1940’s

NY State FairBroome County FairAll Sorts of County Fairs4H Exhibitions

And then…

Barb Receives Huge Honor as NYS - Gardener of the YearOut of 450,000 entrants, Barb won the

Victory Garden Award for New York State…

“…the highest state honor ever awarded a Broome County Club member during the war period.”

The Binghamton Sun

Her garden had 75 bushels of produce canned or stored for winter use, besides the continuous use of vegetables from the garden for a family of four during the summer and fall of 1943…a big deal during the rationing of supplies during WWII.

More Press Clippings for theStates Green Thumb WinnerBarb won a trip to New York City where she wasPresented with a Silver Medal Award by GroverWhalen, Head of the World’s Fair, and NYC MayorFiorello LaGuardia in Pershing Square in New York

(Can you imagine what a trip this must have been fora High School Sophomore in 1944…that’s my MOM!)

Receiving Her Silver Medal

Here is the presentation of the Victory Garden Award in New York City from Lester Norris the Chairman of the National Victory Garden Institute.

Can’t get over how adorable Mom is…love that someone put a squash in her hands for the photo…priceless!

Barbara is Named First Citizen Not resting on her Victory Garden laurels, Barb was honored as 4H Club First Citizen another State Honor

She won a 2-day trip to Albany to visit the State Government in action and meet NY Governor Thomas Dewey (Dewey lost to Harry Truman a few years later as the Republican candidate for U.S. President).

Note: A word about 4H Clubs…back in Mom’s day, 4H was supported with funding by Federal, State and local government and in the 1940’s it was a more agrarian culture than today (it was a big deal).

Barb wins “Girl of the Year” 1945What a year for Barbara as she is chosen by the 4H Counsel as top Girl of the Club…pretty neat!

Barb is 4H Camp CounselorThe 4H Summer Camp was in Danby, NY (it was the Ithaca College Camp).

A few years later Barb worked in the kitchen at this camp and would meet a man there that changed her life…

Where’s Barb? – can you find her in the picture?

Danforth Foundation Winner

Barbara represented 34,000 New York State 4H Girls as a state dinner winner at the Danforth Foundation Camp in Shelby, Michigan.

If you look closely you’ll find her in this picture from the camp…

4H National CongressBarb is chosen as one of 22

New York State members to attend the National Congress in Chicago, 1947.

Quite an honor, and her crowning 4H achievement to be chosen out of 75,000+ NYS members.

I wish I’d known to ask Mom about this trip…it must have been an incredible experience for her…

Becoming a Young WomanBarbara would go on to other pursuits outside of 4H, graduate from High School and attend Harper College…but those halcyon days of the early 1940’s were an incredible time of doing big things, meeting and being lauded by famous leaders and traveling to new and exciting places…

Pretty incredible for a young girl with big dreams from Binghamton.

Barefoot and Carefree

Where ever you are…this is the happiness meant for you…we love you Mom…