Meet boomer, Grant Holdaway, better known in these parts as Farmer Grant.  Well…Grant Holdaway may not technically fit into the baby boomer age category, but he’s a great example of staying fit, active, and still going strong at a mature age.  A lesson for all of us true “baby boomers.”

It seems like I’ve been buying veggies from Farmer Grant and his wife Barbara forever.  The first time I remember buying produce and flowers from them was about 40 years ago when their little stand was next to their home down on the Geneva Road… next to the Geneva Steel Plant.  If I remember right… it was called “Grant’s Plants.”

Grant claims he’s been selling produce for over 60 years. In fact, he remembers selling produce to workers who were helping to build Geneva Steel Plant in the 40’s.  Several years ago… Geneva Steel was closed down and dismantled.  Grant’s seen it come and go…all the while, selling produce and flowers to loyal customers.

When they built their new nursery across the street from their home… they named their new location “Vineyard Gardens”… but it’s still “Grant’s” to me and my kids and grand kids.

By the first of May, his green houses are filled with annuals, perennials, herbs, shrubs, irises and roses.  Grant is well known for hybridizing irises… coming up with many new striking varieties.

In early August, after the flower and shrub sells slow down… fresh veggies, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, string beans, egg plant, potatoes, and peppers appear in the front entry of his nursery. For the next several months, I make several trips a week to buy his fresh produce.  Heaven!

His produce is fresh from the field every morning and it’s washed and cleaned before being put it out in baskets on the table. I’ve been to many produce stands and his is absolutely the finest.

I love tomatoes, and this is a mecca for fresh toms… especially if you’re in the business of canning for winter storage.

His cantaloupe are just the best… so sweet and flavorful.

As fall approaches, “Pumpkin Land” is prepared at the nursery for the kids. Halloween decorations are placed among the sprays, fertilizers, flower bulbs, and veggies.

Buses bring school children to visit “Pumpkin Land”.  And…I swear every mom in the county bring their pre-schoolers  to “Pumpkin Land.”  There’s a corn maze, a animal petting zoo… or rather a “looking” zoo… inflated jumping toys and best of all… there’s hundreds of pumpkins in various sizes.  The kids get to choose and purchase their own pumpkins.

Now, all this takes a lot to time and energy, and at 77 years old, Farmer Grant is still going strong.  Along with his employees, he’s continues to make his produce and flower nursery the best in the county.

Now if that’s not enough…this summer, this active man ran the Provo marathon and a 50 mile race through the Wasatch mountains called the “Squaw Peak Fifty Miler.”  Just wears me out just thinking about it.

No slowing down for this farmer.

Thanks Farmer Grant… for being a great example to this old baby boomer.

Till Later,

Kathy Griffiths

Insightful Nana

P.S.  Did I mention… Farmer Grant was a school teacher until he retired?   Retired?  Doesn’t look like it to me!