The story of Georges

A sturdy notebook from de KEMPEN, one that can go anywhere? Definitely one of the better gifts from his son.

In fair and foul weather, in every season, you’ll always find George in his vegetable garden. He was a bit apprehensive about falling into that "black hole" after retirement; George and sitting still? Not a good match. But his worries turned out to be unfounded: he threw himself fully into gardening. He loves nothing more than digging into the soil with his bare hands or spotting the first sprouts of his tomato plants. And – though he’s not likely to admit it – he finds the meticulous organization of his garden incredibly enjoyable too.

The only thing that bothers him a little is that he tends to forget things now and then. Once, he completely missed an entire strawberry season – he’s determined not to let that happen again. So, he writes everything down. Which tomato varieties thrived this year and which needed extra care. Daily notes about the temperature, rainfall, and the birds he hears. His sowing and harvesting schedules are worked out to perfection: all he has to do at the start of the week is open his notebook, and he knows exactly what needs to be done. Of course, he’s tried a few apps, but George just isn’t a smartphone guy. There’s no Wi-Fi in the greenhouse. A sturdy notebook from de KEMPEN, one that he can take anywhere? One of the best gifts from his son.

George’s favorite month is September. By then, the sun has been hard at work for months, but the weather is starting to change. That means it’s harvest time. The last of the summer vegetables are ready to be picked: tomatoes, zucchinis, bell peppers, eggplants... His wife Lea makes the very best ratatouille from them. George has carefully documented which varieties are the most suitable and how much he needs to sow at minimum. A good thing too, since the family eagerly awaits their share of the "family stew."

“ At the start of the week, all he has to do is open his notebook, and he knows exactly what needs to be done. ”

September also marks the start of his daily pumpkin rounds. Lea loves watching him: on his hands and knees beside the orange giants, thoroughly inspecting them, sketching a map in his notebook to mark where each variety is and whether they’re ready for harvest. Every time, she tells George he should take better care of his notebook, that it’s getting covered in dirt and stains. But he doesn’t care. He finds his “dirty little book” charming—it should be able to handle a bit of grime.
“Without that soil, we wouldn’t have dinner tonight,” he says. Hard to argue with that.