Image by lumix2004 from Pixabay
“So, we know now that the little boy who General Lofton cared for through even his last days before the Civil War was his actual grandson, Frederick James Lofton, but at the time, it was kept quiet, because the general's son had his only surviving child by a slave. But General Lofton raised Fred as a free child from 1854 until Fred went with him to the Civil War in 1861, and managed to leave him all of his fortune but Fruitland and the surrounding land here in Virginia in 1864.”
“So Fred looked like us?” Sgt. Vincent Trent's youngest children Velma (11), Milton (9), and Gracie (8) said.
“Fred maybe needed a bit more of a tan in the summertime to look exactly like y'all,” Sgt. Trent said, “but yes, he looked very like y'all when he was your age.”
“So this is why the fruit trees nearest to General Lofton's house always have drooping branches,” Velma said.
“Yes, that is the reason,” Mrs. Trent said. “He tied rocks to the lowest branches of the fruit trees in the winter and the spring, so their branches would always droop when they were loaded with fruit and he and Fred could easily reach the fruit.”
“And so can we!” Milton said as he picked a plum. “A drooping branch means we all can eat!”
“Ain't it the truth,” Gracie said as she picked the one next to the one her brother picked.
“General Lofton knew there would be trouble for Fred if he left him Fruitland, so he left all his money to Fred, but left Fruitland and the other 48 miles of land he owned to his younger brother, Major Lofton,” Sgt. Trent explained. “Major Lofton kept all the old rules about treating all people fairly at Fruitland, and had his workers keep tying down the fruit tree branches in different parts of the park, so every kind of fruit and nut can be picked by children. Major Lofton lived until the turn of the century with his second wife, Rebecca, and they left in their trust that all kinds of trees must still have so many with drooping branches, so the children can pick the fruit.
“Today, Fruitland is Fruitland Memorial Park, still owned by the Lofton Trust, but administered by the Lofton County Park and Rec Service. It still functions as an orchard and supplies almost all of the fruits and nuts for Lofton County, but now as a non-profit, and that keeps the cost of fruits and nuts low so poor people and businesses save money. And, the old rule still applies: you can always come and pick as much as you can reach and carry, so many people in need still can eat even if they have no money. There are 12 miles of fruit and nuts in Lofton County. There's enough for everybody.”
“That is so cool!” Milton said.
“Ain't it the truth,” Gracie said.
“I see why Capt. Ludlow is such a good grandfather,” Velma said. “Lofton County doesn't seem to be the place to drop the ball on that kind of stuff.”
“There is a lot of support for grandparents raising children here through the Lofton Trust, too,” Mrs. Trent said. “It is easier not to drop the ball in Lofton County, and that is why so many grandparents go out on a limb here, and try – the limbs are bent down low so grandparents and grandchildren can get what they need.”
Elsewhere in the park, the Ludlows and their grandchildren were also having breakfast, picking and eating all the fruit they wanted, with each of Capt. R.E. Ludlow's seven grandchildren, ages 5 to 11, taking turns sitting on his shoulders and picking fruit from trees without drooping branches and passing it down to the others.
“This is the best thing ever!” five-year-old Lil' Robert Ludlow proclaimed in his latest turn up on the captain's shoulders. “I can get fruit from everywhere up here and down there – it's like God cares that some of us are short and is doing stuff for us everywhere!”
“Ever since a five-year-old came in here and needed to have that done for him, yes, Robert, that is what is going on,” Capt. Ludlow said as he, in his head, saluted his distant cousin, fellow custodial grandfather and forever dad Gen. Joseph James Lofton, who put in his last years of peace raising Fred from age five to age eleven.
When my Dad moved us to Missouri, in our backyard was an old apple tree. It had big yellow apples and I have never had better apples. It might be because the only other apples that I have ever had were store bought.
Probably that was it -- tree-ripened apples are wonderful!
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