"My Life As A Young Boy"

"Charles A. Giannetta"


 Meteorologist - Professor

Bath, Pa. USA.



"Picking Berries" Page I"



   When we were between the ages of 8 and 12 years old,
(1944-1948), my sister Lucy and I would go picking 
huckle berries. Lucy was a year older than me. At that time
our family lived on Batten St. In Dunmore, Pa. USA.






Picture of my sister "Lucy Ann Giannetta" at 12 years old.






Me at 8 years old standing in my Grandmother Anna Coviello's
back yard on Warren St. in Dunmore, Pa. USA.



   Lucy and I would get up quite early, eat and get
dressed to meet all the people that would be going to 
pick berries. 


   The people that would be going were: Myself, my sister
Lucy, my grandmother Anna Coviello and many others from
the neighorhood. 


   We would all meet at our grandmother's house on Warren St., 
about 5:30 to 6:00 am. We would than walk over Reeves St. 
to Drinker St. On our way up Drinker St. we would meet with
many more people that were going berry picking that day.


   We would also meet with many others which at that time I
did not know their names, however, little did I know at the
time, my wife "Virginia (Gini) Hagerman Giannetta" was 
in one of the other groups we would meet as we walked up Drinker St. 
Gini was with a group that was from the Smith St. and Franklin St. 
areas of Dunmore.


   After we all gathered we would all walk up Drinker St. 
past the first and then the second railroad tracks. We
would continue up the hill on Drinker St. on the outskirts
of Dunmore. This was about 1 to 2 miles from our house. At
this point we would leave Drinker St. which is Route 611 a
twin lane highway at that time. We would walk up the
"Old Gravity Railway" which many years ago had a gravity 
railroad. The tracks were not there at that time. 
They had long been taken out.


   We would walk up the Old Gravity Road until we came to a
place called: "Indian Springs". We would all take a break 
from walking. Drink water from the "Indian Springs" which at
that time was quite pure. After resting for about 10 to 15
minutes we would begin to walk furthur up the "Old Gravity 
Roadway" for another long way to a place called the "Frog Pond" 


   This was a place where the water had formed in a small water hole
about 15 to 20 feet in diameter. The water was very clean and clear
and as you might know some frogs were living there, therefore,
the name "Frog Pond". We would again rest for about 10 to 15
minutes. Fill our water bottles. We would then continue our walk
up the Gravity Road  for another long ways. We would than arrive
at another area which was very serene. We all knew this area along
the Gravity Roadway to be called: "Sleepy Hollow". It was quite 
and peaceful. It was an area with tall brush which had grown over 
the road and formed sort of a tunnel which we all walked through, 
however, the road bed was mostly clear. You could still see the black 
sand that was used to make the road bed. It was like going through 
a covered bridge.


   As we walked through the area we called"Sleepy Hollow"
most of us would not speak,  we would just listen to 
the sounds of "Nature".


   We were now quite far from the town of Dunmore. Even though we
were quite far from Dunmore, when the wind was right and the 
atmospheric conditions were right we could hear the faint sound of 
the bells from St. Michels Church
which is on Drinker St. in Dunmore. from our vantage point on
the Old Gravity Road we could see St. Mickels 
Church. The sun would shine off the silver painted
steeple so the church wasn't difficult to see. As we walked up and 
down the mountain we would all be singing, talking and really
having a great time. We did not see this as work.



"We were really haveing fun".



© 1998 - 2019 Charles A. Giannetta

"My Life As A Young Boy"

"Charles A. Giannetta"


 Meteorologist - Professor

Bath, Pa. USA.


"Picking Berries" Page II"



   As we walked up the Old Gravity Road, we were going higher
higher up the mountain east of Dunmore. We were now quite a
distance from the town. From our vantage point on the mountain 
we could look out and see for miles to the north, west and south. 
We could see far up towards the Carbondale area, south through
Scranton area to Wilkes Berra. We could still see further to the 
southwest and see other towns we did not know their names.


   After we arrived somewhere up the Old Gravity Road at the area
know as No. 9, we would leave the road and start walking to our
right through the woods. There were no paths we just made our way.
The older women knew the way so we all followed them. Some people 
from the other groups would continue walking further up the Old
Gravity Road to areas know as No. 10 and No. 11 & 12. If you kept
walking for a few more miles you would come to an area with two
lakes called, "Twin Lakes". I beleive these lakes are owned by the
gas and water company and are private. No swmimming or fishing. 


   The group we were with never went up to the "Twin Lakes" area
to pick berries, however, we did get up to No. 10, 11 and 12 but
most of the time we would go to the No. 9 area. There was plenty
of berries there. One other time on another hiking trip I did get
up to the "Twin Lakes" area. It was the only time in my youth that
I did. I'm sorry now I didn't get up there more often to view the
beautiful area and the lakes. Not many people over the years have
seen that sight. It is nice to know I belong to a small group that
did...


   After arriving at the No. 9 area we would leave the road
and walk for sometime until we came to open country covered with
bushes full of juicy blue berries. We tham all began picking
berries.


   There wasn't any tall trees in this area where we picked blue
berries. It was mosly Scrub Oak trees. A lot of large rocks which
we would sit on to take some breaks and look at the screnery.
Over the years there had been plenty of forest fires in this area.
The land was flat as we were ontop of the mountain. This was the
same place that my mother and dad went picking berries when they
were kids. My mother told me about the fires that had occured in 
this area of the mountain.


   All of us had a 10 quart bucket with us to put our berries in.
Some of the older women had more than one 10 quart bucket to fill.
We all had a smaller can which we called a "Pitch. My pitch was
usually a 1 to 3 pound empty coffee can. We would tie the pitch
to our belts in front of us. As we picked berries we would put
them in the pitch. When the pitch was full we would then empty it
into the 10 quart bucket. We would do this until our bucket was 
full.


   Many of the older women would tie a "Cloth" around the top of
their buckets so they might fit more berries into it. 
After they filled another or so quarts, they would
tie the cloth so the berries would not fall out.


   We arrived at out location early morning. We would pick berries
until noon. We would all have lunch we carried with us from
home. We would eat sitting on the large rocks near the edge of a 
large cliff. If you drive on "Rroute 611 from Dunmore or
from Elmhurst, Pa." you can view the cliff from the highway. 
Some of us would wonder around the mountain where the clifts
are located.



© 1998 - 2019 Charles A. Giannetta

"My Life As A Young Boy"

"Charles A. Giannetta"


 Meteorologist - Professor

Bath, Pa. USA.



"Picking Berries" Page III"



   Many of us would site on the clifts and eat our lunch
and look out over the view. The view was to the northest, east, 
south & west. We could see out about 50 to 75 miles.
Most of the time when we went for berries it was usually a nice
day with good visibility. We would not go for berries if the
weather was bad.


   The clifts are quite high. I don't know how high but when
you aredriving on Route 611 from Dunmore of Elmhurst, Pa.
you can look up and see the clifts. When we drive back through 
the area, we always look up at the clifts. I can still see myself, 
my sister Lucy and rest of us sitting on the clifts and eating 
our lunch looking out over the fantastic view. Not many people
have had that pleasure. The next time we drive up to the area I will 
be bringing my digital and VHS camerasand take some good
pictures of the clifts and put them on this page.


   When I was going for berries it was well before I had thoughts of
becoming a Meteorologist. I have always been
meaning to get back up the Old Gravity. Walk over to the clifts 
and take  in that beautiful view. Knowing weather now, I would really
enjoy being back up on that mountain and enjoying all that goes with
being there!


   After lunch we would begin to pick more berries until
our buckets were filled. We would than prepare to walk back
down the mountain. 


Some of the older Italian women would warp a towel
into a small circle. Place the towel on their heads 
and carry their 10 quart bucket filled with berries along with the
heep on their heads, it was some rare site.


   Some of the women also would carry a bucket in each hand. 
We would walk back through the woods until we came to the
Old Gravity Roadway. Walk back own the mountain through
"Sleepy Hollow" and then arrive at the "Frog Pond"
We would than take a break. Watch the frogs jump in the pond, 
fill our water bottles and start our walk back down the road. Most 
of the time on our walk back, we wouldn't sop at "Indian Springs",
this was mostly a stop on our way up the mountain. many of us were 
looking forward to getting home to sell our berries. Afterwords, 
some of us would then go swimming down in the "Roaring Brook Creek"
area know as: "Mourns Dam" or No. 7.


   When we got back to Dunmore there was a place we would sell 
our berries for 20 cents a quart. If you didn't have too many
leaves mixed in with the berries you might get 25 cents. Some of 
the older women wouldn't sell their berries at this location.
They would go on into the city of Scranton, Pa. and sell them
for as high as 50 cents a quart. Back in the forties this was 
quite a lot of money.


   My sister Lucy and I sold about half of our 
berries, the rest we took home. When we got home we gave what 
money we made from selling our berries to our mother, 
which she in turn would give some back to us. With this money I
would spend some of it at the movies and buy myself some goodies.
I don't remember what my sister did with her money. Our mother also 
"Lucy" would make "Blue Berry Pies" and "Blue Berry 
Muffins". We also would have fresh berries for
breakfast and throughout the day to eat. My wife.
Gini tells me she did not sell her berries.
She took them home and her mother "Vera Chido Hagerman"
also made delicious pies and muffins. Gini
tells me she and her mother 
would also go picking blue berries.


   The next day we would all start out to do it all over again.
At the time it did not seem like work. We all enjoyed each others
company. We all looked forward to another day picking berries. 


   It it rained we were all disapointed because we would not go
in the rain.





© 1998 - 2019 Charles A. Giannetta

"My Life As A Young Boy"

"Charles A. Giannetta"


 Meteorologist - Professor

Bath, Pa. USA.



"Picking Berries" Page IV"



   After a few summers of picking abd selling blue berries and my
growing little older and wiser, I began to understand the value of
money. There were times when we would come back from picking berries
and after selling them, I would go home, give my mother what money I 
made and the berries which I had not sold. I would walk over 
to an area that at that time was know as No. 1. Number 1 because it
was the No. 1 coal mining area. At one time both my grandfathers
and Gini's grandfather worked in these mines mining hard coal.


   Today the area is covered with a 4 lane super highway. "Route 81"
which goes north to Binghamton, New York, many homes and
factories. You have to look hard to see where the mines where and 
where all the strip mining was done.


   The No. 1 area was about 1 to 2 miles from our house. There were 
also berries you could pick there, however, not near as many as up
around No. 9. It wouldn't take me long to walk there. I would than
pick another 4 quarts of berries. I would take them over to sell
them for 25 cents a quart. This money I kept for myself. I did this
once or twice a week. This way I would have a little extra spending
money to buy more goodies or go to more movies. I never told my 
mother "Lucy" or anyone I was doing this, but knowing how my
mother was, she most likely knew.


   Now when my wife and I go shopping at the different farmers 
markets we see the price of berries are $4.00 to
$5.00 a quart. We both remember when we would go picking
berries and sell them for $.20 a quart.


   All the older Italian women, my Grandmother Anna Coviello", 
that went picking berries at that time also my parents and 
Gini's mother Vera Chioda Hagermen have passed on.
There weren't any men that went 
picking berries with us. 


   My sister "Lucy" and some of the younger generation of that time
have also passed on. There aren't many of us left who remember those 
"Blue Berry Picking Days".


   People just don't do that sort of thing now.


   The "Old Gravity Road" has probably long grown in with trees 
and bushes. Now super highways have been built 
along the area where the Old Gravity Road met with highway  
"Route 611".  I'm sure if I were to take a hike in that
area up above the newly constructed highways, I would eventually 
find where the Old Gravity Road is and 
see some sights that not many people have seen.


   Maybe one of these days I will make the time to go for one more
walk up the "Old Gravity Road" and see
once again where we picked blue berreies.


   My wife Gini and I belong to a very small group
of people that have done something that will probably never
be done again. Even though we did not know each other at 
that time, now we can both talk about and share the
memories of those days.


   When I think back, too bad there wasn't any pictures taken of
all of us meeting at:


   Our Grandmother Anna Coviello's house on Warren St. in
Dunmore, Pa. USA.


   Walking over Reeve St. to Drinker St. than up Drinker St.
picking up other people going picking blue berries with us 
as we would walk along. Continuing up Drinker St. past
the "First & Second" railroad tracks walking along highway 
Route 611 until we came to where the highway and the remains of the
"Old Gravity Road met walking up to No. 9, "Going To Pick
Blue Berries"!

"E N D"



"Going Picking Berries"



© 1998 - 2019 Charles A. Giannetta

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