52 Ancestors Week 37: On the Farm

 From Amy Johnson Crow: For Week 37, it's all about "On the Farm." This week, why not write about an ancestor who was a farmer or a farm laborer? Don't forget about farm wives and the work they had to do to keep things running!

And on his farm he had some figs. E-I-E-I-Oh....

   Farming is a human activity that dates back to before the first cities rose in Mesopotamia and the Nile river valley and it shouldn't come as any surprise that southern Italy had its fair share of agricultural activity dating back to before the age of the Roman Empire. For centuries there was very little in the way of industry in the southern parts of the country we now know as Italy as the north became centers for trade, commerce and industry. Coastal cities in the south like Palermo, Naples, Bari and Catanzaro followed their centuries old maritime traditions by continuing a mastery of the Mediterranean that persists to this very day. Meanwhile, in the interior farmers worked the land as they had been for centuries under the merciless heat of the hot Italian sun.

Scenic San Pietro a Maida

    For centuries they toiled and worked the fields in the hopes of producing goods for the market and of course food for their growing families. Crops such as figs were common and were a sought after commodity. Who doesn't like fig jam? I know I do! When it came time for Italians to immigrate across the ocean thanks to policies that favored the north in the late 19th and into the 20th century, a question everyone's mind often came up. Would they be able to keep their farming traditions alive in a strange land far from the farms of their ancestors? Would they adapt to the farming techniques used by the people of those lands? How would it be possible to keep the traditions alive? Would it be possible? The answer, of course, is a resounding "YES!" 

    As you know, half of my tree is Italian as my father's parents came from Calabria and Campania by way of San Pietro a Maida and Gesualdo. When Grandpa Marco and Grandma Olympia's families came to America, they brought with them the farming techniques and traditions their family had honed for centuries in the old country and it's something I always think about while I'm working in my parents' garden.

Garden or vegetable prison? Too close to call.

    For as long as I can remember, my family has always had a garden and it often felt like I was farming. We'd grow everything from tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, potatoes and peppers to hot peppers, green beans and zucchini. You name it, we grew it in there. Some years were better than others and I'm sad to report that the Ferraiolo garden of 2021 was just....okay. We blame the extremely cold May we had this year. That was just crazy! We broke the planet. We weren't too discouraged as we had plenty of basil to make great pesto sauce and enough tomatoes to make really, really good tomato sauce. Not gravy. I will never call it "gravy"!

    Persistence is key when you're growing produce in New England. That's true for everyone. When Italian immigrants came to America they had to contend with a climate that was very different from the one they were used to in Italy. Winters were harsh and yet they adapted by growing vegetables in the warm months of the year. I can tell you there was probably a lot of trial and error in those early days. But, it is likely they had help from locals. At least I hope they did!

 

Farmer Vincenzo!

    So, what did they end up growing? Would it surprise you to learn that my ancestors grew the same things they had been growing in Italy? Certain crops can withstand the soil of New England just as easily as they could in Europe. It's not hard even though timing is everything. 

    Starting with my great-grandfather, Vincenzo, he had a pear tree in the side yard of his house in Haverhill and a vegetable garden in the back yard. It was here that my father learned about growing vegetables like tomatoes and herbs like basil. Centuries old farming techniques were passed down to him and he wasn't the only one to have a green thumb!

    Grandpa Marco had a gorgeous fig tree which lived a good long time. Fig trees are remarkably hardy and can withstand cold winters. While they do typically grow in the southern parts of Europe, my grandfather's fig tree grew pretty well in the city of Haverhill!

Farmer Giuseppe!

    My great-grandfather, Giuseppe, meanwhile took things a bit further. While he did grow the Italian staple of grape vines he grew apples, pears and cherries in his yard. I have been told that the pears were quite delicious. The cherry tree was even alive up until a few years ago!

    Like the Ferraiolos, the Carrabs even had their own vegetable garden and in it they grew many crops and even some herbs like basil and garlic. In fact, we're attempting to grow some garlic this year that my father's cousin brought over. Here's hoping they grow!

    Using centuries old farming techniques, my great-grandfathers managed to bring their know-how to America. Through trial and error, they managed to grow the kinds of crops they were used to seeing in the old country and even grew crops seen in America. Granted these weren't farms as people know them. They still counted even though they were much smaller in scale and still managed to produce sweet fruits and veggies for all to enjoy.

    What's really interesting is that both men had different farming styles. Giuseppe used what was available and combined it with the crops from his native mountainous region of Campania. While Vincenzo and Marco's home region of Calabria was just as mountainous, they used more of a southern European approach to farming. They grew things in the warmer months and produced goods for the family when they could. Giuseppe on the other hand practically had a grocery store's worth of goods. Either way, they clearly brought their farming talent to America and passed it down to my father and myself. Yeah, even I have a green thumb. Didn't see that coming did you? 

    Italians have always adapted to new surroundings whether it's through learning a new language or simply farming in an urban environment like Haverhill, Massachusetts. Their determination and skill helped to feed their own families and was likely passed down to them through the centuries. That skill I'm happy to say lives on. 

    So, how was it possible to grow in such a different climate? With versatile crops, anything is possible. Using centuries old techniques like growing when it was warm in New England proved to be beneficial and chances are good that Italians shared the skills with other Italians. They adapted quite well and some like my 2nd great-uncle Giovanni Coppola had even opened grocery stores where Italian immigrants could sell their produce at. It makes me wonder if Giuseppe used the shop. Marco and Vincenzo likely did. Giovanni was Vincenzo's uncle.

    The farming traditions of the past are kept alive in America and in Italy today. People still work the land as they have been and though times changed, the heart of the tradition remains because great things can happen with a bit of luck and a lot of perseverance!

See ya next time! 

Editor's note: In April of 2023, I found that Giovanni Coppola was not the brother of Paolo, Caterina and Concetta Coppola. He is likely a first cousin of the three. Look for details in a future blog post.

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