I drive down east Emory Road about once a month and pass Block Springs Baptist Church in Blaine. Every time I pass the church, I fondly remember my husband’s Aunt Phoebe Peters who along with her husband, Ed Peters, and daughter, Mary Peters DeVault, were many years members there. Sadly, that family has died, but when we visited about twice a year they always had something for a treat. In summer, it was a start of Aunt Phoebe’s plants. One year she gave me a start of “Walking Elephant” onions - better known around here as “Winter Onions.” For years I would trip out to my garden when I needed a fresh onion. I didn’t have to go to the store to get an onion or two.

However, my garden had not been plowed for years–just rototilled. Actually, it was only plowed once in more than twenty years, so I had it turned. Unfortunately, I didn’t mention that I wanted to keep my onions, so most of those got turned under. I did manage to find one or two plants and have cultivated them into about six plants now. The seed pods are at the top, so this year I will harvest the seeds and I believe I can begin harvesting the onions again next spring as I need them.

Recently, I was reading a book about Graveston. The book, written by Willie Tabler Rodgers who dedicated the book to her brother, the Reverend E. G. Tabler, who had served longer at Block Springs Church --1947 to 1968-- than any other church. Block Springs honored him at the Church’s 100th Anniversary celebration.
I never had the privilege of meeting or hearing Reverend Tabler, but I recall the Peters family fondly remembering him and speaking kindly of him.