Team Boremoto!: BB&GG Farm's Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festivities

Early October 2008

I arrived back in the USA on September 5 and after spending 3 weeks getting adjusted to my once again strange surroundings, started working at BB&GG Farm.

BB&GG Farm and Nursery

is my father's business, passed onto him by his parents. The "BB" stands for Bill and Bob, and the "GG" stands for Gary and Glenn. These are the four boys of William Leo, and Marie Borella, my grandparents. Bill is the oldest of the sons, and he is my father.

I have never met another person as dedicated to their work as my father. This is something I am proud of him for, but also feel extremely resentful about. His obsession with this business was at the great expense of his own family. I believe upbringing had all to do with his behavior.

All that being said, I have been very lucky for the last several years in that there was always a job waiting for me in my hometown. Since my college years, about 13 years ago, I have been leading the life of a vagabond. First living in and around New York City, then doing some world travel, next a five year stint on and off in my second home - Belize, and most recently 3 years in Japan with Atsuko. Throughout this time period I could always rest assured that my father would happily have me climb back aboard his trucks and tractors while in my hometown. Employment was never a concern.

I thank my father for his generosity.

There is no better season to be working on the farm than in autumn.

Autumn is a magical time on Long Island.

I have always felt this way. The sky is bluer than blue, the air is cool and refreshing, and food somehow seems more delicious in the fall.

For almost 10 years, in autumn my father has hosted a fall festivities area at the back of his farm. It has been a great success every year. When you pull into the clover-covered parking lot at the edge of a large tract of forest protected and managed by the Nature Conservancy, you immediately feel as if you've taken a trip back in time to a much simpler Long Island. If not for the roaring of trucks and cars rushing by on Route 25A (North Country Road), you'd swear that you were looking out into a farm field in the year 1920.

Here you can take a hay ride on a big trailer being pulled by an old beaten up John Deer tractor. You can get lost in a labyrinth of trails carved into a 20 odd acre field of tall Indian Corn. You'll probably want to pick a pumpkin or two to bring home and paint or cut a Jack O' Lantern face into. There is also a wide variety of colorful squashes and gourds, all of which are edible. An assortment of fall crafts and ornaments are also available to you. Of course, after all the hay riding, maze-walking, and shopping, you'll be hungry and tired. Why not sit down at a picnic table and enjoy some delicious roasted corn from the farm. It's so sweet that no butter or salt is needed. Wash the corn down with a soda, water, or New York apple Cider?! For the kids, or adults, there are several ghoulishly yummy cookies and candy apples to choose from.

If for none of those things, just come and relax a while.

at sunset especially, it is a wonderful place to just unwind.

The tracks of White-Tailed Deer can be seen all over the fields

This caterpillar may not make it to adulthood (butterfly/moth) this year. It my sit dormant in a pupa stage over winter and metamorphose next spring.

large fields of edible Common Winter Cress turn the landscape a buttery yellow

Mandy and John bring Allie down to the pumpkin patch. This is Allie's first autumn! There is so much for her to see and learn. Allie's head jostles around like a bobble-head toy's as she trys to keep up with all that is happening around her.

Foreman of my father's workers - Neri Mendez and his 4 year old son Neri Junior (Nerito).

I have known Neri for about 20 years. He is from Poptun, Guatemala. He came up to New York from Guatemala many years ago to find stable employment and make a better life for himself and his family. Neri is a good man.