# Strawberry Visions and “Pertaters” explained — Driven Back to Eden

> Chapter companion for Driven Back to Eden by Edward Payson Roe.

## What happens

The narrator plans to expand strawberry cultivation as a family-friendly crop, consulting Mr. Bogart for advice on varieties and methods. With Mr. Jones's help, he prepares a two-acre plot for corn and potatoes, deciding to plant Early Rose potatoes early to later set strawberries on the enriched ground. The family works together planting potatoes, with evening cutting bees enlivened by songs and stories, while Mousie and others appreciate the beauty of spring blossoms.

## Themes in this chapter

### Self-Reliance and Hard Work

The family works together planting an acre of potatoes, with evening cutting bees and shared labor, demonstrating self-reliance.

### Economic Transformation

The narrator plans strawberry and potato crops to generate early income, using careful planning and market advice to transition from city life to farming.

### Health and Wellbeing

The family finds joy in nature's beauty, with wildflowers and blossoms gracing their table, lifting their toilsome lives above the sordid.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

Plans strawberry cultivation, consults Mr. Bogart, and directs the planting of potatoes and future strawberries.

### Mr. Jones

Advises on plowing and planting, helps turn over the meadow plot, and offers skeptical but supportive commentary on book farming.

### Merton

Helps drop potato seed and assists with transplanting strawberry plants.

### Bobsey

Picks strawberries easily due to his small stature, and gathers wildflowers with Mousie and Winnie.

### Mousie

Helps cut potatoes, observes spring changes, and gathers wildflowers, valuing cherry blossoms almost as much as cherries.

### Winnie

Helps Merton drop potato seed and gathers wildflowers with Mousie and Bobsey.

## Key lines

> Don't go into too many kinds... A few crates of fine berries will pay you better than bushels of small, soft, worthless trash.

Mr. Bogart advises focusing on a few high-quality strawberry varieties rather than many poor ones.

_Emphasizes practical, quality-focused farming advice._

> If I put Early Rose potatoes right in, when can I harvest them?

The narrator asks Mr. Jones about the harvest time for Early Rose potatoes.

_Shows the narrator's strategic planning for sequential cropping._

> Thus Nature graced our frugal board, and suggested that, as she accompanied her useful work with beauty and fragrance, so we also could lift our toilsome lives above the coarse and sordid phase too common in country homes.

The beauty of wildflowers and blossoms on the table reminds the family that even hard work can be elevated by appreciation of nature.

_Reflects the theme of finding joy and dignity in rural life._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/driven_back_to_eden_se/chapters/xxvii-strawberry-visions-and-pertaters
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/driven_back_to_eden_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/driven_back_to_eden_se/chapters