from R.H. Shumway. And for a 'large' order I received some trial seed varieties. They are all from the 'Early Bird Garden' Tomato experimental hybrid medium red determinate, Broccoli experimental, Green and Yellow bush bean experimental, and a Bi-Color sweet corn experimental. I have a friend what will take the Broccoli, another that makes his living growing corn and melons that will likely take the corn. I'll be looking for takers on the 'maters and beans this weekend at the Sacred Harp singing http://daytonsacredharp.org/ I'll be starting peppers, all hot, this weekend. 'Maters, in a couple of weeks. Gotta find me a tiller to replace the 35 year old one what died. Rear tine tillers is real expensive, ain't they?
FBG, I got the tomato and broccoli "free" seeds from Shumway also. The tomatoes are doing fine--good germination rate, growing well and will need up-potting soon. The broccoli isn't so great--germination rate was about 75%, a lot of die-off (didn't have a problem with any other seedlings so I don't think it was conditions), and the remaining ones aren't growing as well as expected. We have a Poulan rear-tine tiller that is two years old (our Ariens of 40 years finally gave up the ghost) and we didn't pay an arm and a leg. You may want to see if it is within your budget and what you want.
fatbaldguy----Well, I'll be! Our college-aged daughter has gotten into shape note singing in the past year. She has been going weekly in Northampton MA as well as attending several weekend shape note festivals in various places. I haven't met anyone who has heard of it! Is there an active group in Dayton? & is it Dayton OH?
Shape notes used to be big in Gospel singing. I remember my Dad was big on shape notes back in the 50's. I never did get it.
Yes is is Dayton, Ohio. Being in Mass, she has likely met Tim Eriksen. He taught the Rumanians and actors to sing shape note for the movie Cold Mountain. The Sacred Harp community is still fairly small, and we 'network' well. The group here is active for sure. We have around 50 regulars at our monthly singings, we often will have close to 100 including visitors.
FBG, is there a website you could indicate so we could hear "shape note" singing? It sounds fascinating, and I'd dearly love to hear a sample.
Ms. Jane, In the link in my post, there is a homepage of the Dayton group. There are links on the top of the page MEDIA that will show some videos of singings from various parts of the country. Consecration is a particularly good song. Texas also has an active group. There will also be a two part video featuring David Lee of Hoboken, Georgia, explaining a good bit more about shape note singing.
shape notes When I posted that I never did "get it" about shape notes, I mean I don't get the reason for it. All the pitch info contained in the different shapes is already there in the note's position on the lines/spaces. Remove the lines but keep the shape notes and you can still play/sing the song, but why? Lines are so much simpler.
OH, that is amazing! It's a vocal orchestra! There was a shape-note song in the Civil War PBS series, sung by what I thought was a choir. I've bookmarked that site so I can listen again. I hope there are CDs of sacred harp singing. You can tell I'm bowled over! Thank you for the link.
That site does not tell anything about what it is. Is it a 4 part harmony that has been done for years ? Or is it something different? I am on dial up so listening to anything online is out.
Yes ma'am, it is 4 part vocal harmony. Sung on this continent since virtually the beginning of colonization by Europeans. Ms. Jane, http://fasola.org/ will have much more information, and some of the links may lead to groups that have CD's for sale.
Oh heavens,its pretty much the norm here. Very prominant in Bluegrass music and in most gospel groups here. Was beginning to think they had invented something new.
mart, Sacred Harp is sung acappela. There are no instruments other that the human voice (aka the Sacred Harp). It is sung by common people, with common voices. It is an art form that was nearly extinct. Only in the last two decades has there been a renaissance. Certainly nothing new, but, nothing at all like bluegrass or southern gospel, both of which I have sung, and enjoy a great deal. The melodies and harmonies hearken back to the 18th and 19th centuries, as do the lyrics. It is something altogether different, and I am not articulate enough to explain it.
