My brother Johnny would start seeding crops for fall harvesting in August, around his birthday. Every seed packet and catalog of his included the day to maturity — the amount of time it takes from germination to the plants’ full mature stage. Johnny would make sure that a given crop would mature before the weather got too cold. He was so meticulous. Johnny always said growing vegetables for the fall was easier than for the spring, since he could control garden pests better.

Johnny’s fall harvest would include kale, carrots, lettuce, radishes, and turnips, as well as many other vegetables. He started his spring, summer, and fall gardens when he was a child, and he continued planting gardens throughout his life. He would distribute a good deal of his bounty to friends, neighbors, and relatives. Every time I see a vegetable garden, I think of Johnny, who I will always miss.