Alphabet of My Life

John Gove

AgricultureMy whole life is based on agriculture. I live on a farm, I am the 7th generation

of my family to work on the farm, my parents income comes from agriculture, and I make my money by farming. I spend most of my summers working on the farm, growing and picking my own vegetables. When I finish college, I plan on continuing the family tradition of farming. Living on a farm is an amazing experience, and I want my children to have the same opportunity that I did.

Gove Farm

BeaBea is my grandmother, and I go to her house nearly everyday. That sounds

like a lot, but it isn’t because she lives less than a quarter mile away from me. She bakes snack everyday for the farm crew (brownies, cookies, you name it) and it is always delicious. On Sundays I go down to her house for blueberry pancakes, and she triples the batch just for me. I would have a much healthier diet if it wasn’t for my grandmother.

CollegeSince I was four or five I have known that I was going to go to college.

Following in my father’s footsteps, I have always wanted to go to Cornell. I have been working on the farm to save up for college since I was eight and have quite a bit saved up. But unfortunately, I have just realized how expensive it will really be. College would open up many doors in my life.

Do’s and don’tsI don’t really have any “don’ts”, I want to and will do most anything. On my

“bucket list” I have things like sky-diving, bungee jumping, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, using a flying squirrel suit, and much more. These may sound dangerous, but I have heard that there is no thrill like jumping out of a plane. The events also give me an excuse to travel the world. You only have one life and you have to make the most of it, and that is what I plan on doing.

EmilyEmily is my older sister, and when

we were younger, we would do everything together. Most of the time I would get blamed if we got in trouble, but we still had fun. Because she is 4 years older than me, I have always wanted the same privileges that she has (especially driving), but it doesn’t always work out. One of the times that it did work out, she was 8 and I was 4 and she wanted to learn how to ride a bike. When I saw her on her bike, a wave of jealousy swept over me, so I took the training-wheels off my bike and learned the same day. My sister and I have many great memories together.

FarmallWhen I was nine, after selling my own vegetables for two summers I had

saved enough money to buy my first tractor. It was a 1949 Farmall Cub and it came with rear wheel weights and a 48 inch snowplow. There is nothing like the feeling of the clutch disengaging and the machine speeding up. My dad and I drove down to Douglas, Massachusetts with our flatbed Isuzu in late January to pick it up. It wasn’t (and still isn’t) the best quality and it needs some work now and then, but that is what makes the experience fun.

1949 Farmall Cub

Gove FarmFor 7 generations my family (the Gove

family) has owned and worked on Gove Farm. It is an 82 acre plot of land,(about 70 farmable acres) in Leominster and Lancaster Massachusetts. In March we start planting seeds in our 6 greenhouses, and start selling the plants on May 5th every year (that is because we have a sign that says May 5th and we don’t want to make a new on). In the summer we have a farm-stand that we sell all sorts of vegetables out of, and on November 1st the stand closes and we have self-serve for about 1 month. The farm is a great experience for me, I learn how to work hard for something that I want, and the workers have a lot to share to. Every year my dad hires between 2 and 4 foreign exchange students and they teach me some of their language and about their culture.

Harveys

The Harveys are my neighbors. The father, John Harvey, is from New Zealand and exactly like Crocodile Dundee. He and his wife have four kids and they will help you whenever you need it. Their kids are all characters and you never know what will happen next. The oldest kid, Hylton, is one year younger than me and we always find a way to get in trouble. One time we made a tire-swing that swung out above the pond ,and when we were on it, the rope snapped sending me, Hylton, and the tire into the pond. When we aren’t reeking havoc, we help each other at each other's houses. He helps me pick my vegetables and I helped take the farms junk veggies to his pigs, turkeys, and chickens. When the Harveys are gone, I take care of the chickens, and when I’m gone Hylton picks my vegetables. The Harveys and my family are always helping each other out.

One of the Harveys chickens

Inclines

Since I was born I have loved hills, mountains, cliffs, and anything else that you can climb. My dad and I go hiking all of the time in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and sometimes in New York. When I was in second grade, my dad took me out of school early to climb Mount Monadnock, my first decent size hike. It took us about 3 hours to climb up and back (that’s including the time that I was just climbing random rocks for the sake of climbing) and it was a total of 5 miles. I didn’t stop telling people about it for weeks, I just had such a great time.

Mount Monadnock

JohnJohn is me name, and has been my name for

the past thirteen years. I was born on March 11th, 1999, and I have been reeking havoc ever since. Since I could walk, I have been running around, going where I wasn’t supposed to, and exploring what I thought to be, at the time, unexplored. Living on the farm was and still is great for me and my parents because I have things to occupy my time, and I stay out of my parents hair. Because I have so much space to do so many things, I have developed many hobbies. Running, biking, fishing, hiking, skiing, and basically anything else outdoor related. Most of these things I have taught myself to do like ski, fish, and tie all sorts of knots that I use for climbing and anything that involves rope. If you tell me about an activity that sounds fun I will try it, and I will try it until I successfully do it. I have also traveled to many different places such as England, Costa Rica, St. John, Canada, and many others. Every year my family tries to go on a family vacation during our off season, and this year my dad and I are trying to plan a trip to Acadia National Park in Maine.

Me in London

Plowing out with my tractor

Me in Costa Rica

Me running a race in Townsend

KarenKaren is my aunt who lives in

New York. I go to visit her about once every two months in New York. One time, in 2010, my parents went to Italy so Karen came and stayed with my sister and I. Every morning she would drive us to school (which would rarely happen to me) and cook us breakfast (another rarity). When we got home from school she would let us do whatever we wanted, she let me bike to a lake in Shirley to go fishing, and go to my friends’ houses whenever I wanted. One day, when we went to go get a pair of soccer cleats, she bought me the most expensive pair that they had. When I visit my aunt, I get so spoiled.

Karen

Tom Ben Karen Mike

Lisa

Lisa is my mom and she is a very important part of my life. My mom drives me some where when I need it and she cooks my dinner. When I have a soccer game and my uniform is dirty, I always find it on my bed in the morning. She keeps me in control. My mom says no when I want or want to do something stupid. I don’t know where I would if it wasn’t for my mom.

My mom and I in New Hampshire

MikeMike is my uncle (Karen’s husband). Mike taught me to golf, to play

foosball, and to play basketball. When my mom and aunt went shopping, Mike took me to the driving range where we hit a bucket of balls. When we were their, we hit the balls onto the nearby green making the golfers think that they were a better shot than they actually were. Whenever I go to Mike’s I have a great time.

Mike

Tom Mike Ben

New Hampshire

One of my favorite places to be is at my family’s land in New Hampshire. We bought the land in 2006, and I have been going up at least once a month ever since. In 2009, my dad and I started designing a cabin that we wanted to build in New Hampshire. We designed a 20 by 16 foot tree-house in the perfect location. The cabin was built in pieces in Leominster, then we used our dump truck, utility trailer, and tractor with a fork lift to bring it to the top of the hill. We got all of the pieces up to the site by early January in 2012 after three trips with the dump truck and trailer and then we started building. The supports first, then the floors pieces, then the walls, the roof, and now we are in the middle of insulating. After almost 4 years of planning and building, we are nearly done. The cabin might seem small, but it is one of the best around.

OrangeWhen I see orange, I think of hunting season in New Hampshire. Starting in

October, there is open hunting in New Hampshire. Whenever my dad and I go up he makes me where an orange vest (which is very uncomfortable). One time, when I didn’t wear a vest, I was hiking up the neighboring hill and ended up getting yelled at by a hunter who said that he thought that I was a deer. Even though I don’t like wearing the orange, I guess it is useful.

Paul

Paul is my dad, and he does any outdoor activity that I want. We go to New Hampshire, skiing, rock climbing, biking, canoeing, you name it. He helps me with my crops, and tells me how to do different job on the farm. Almost every weekend we have been up to our wood-lot in New Hampshire to work on the cabin. Every time he gives me the opportunity to take a friend and have my dad work while I goof off. My dad is always generous and is a great guy.

My dad on a suspension bridge in Costa Rica

QuoteI live by the saying “Life is too short”. By that I mean if there is something you want to

do, go and do it and live your life to the fullest. When I was in Vermont with my friend we were mountain biking and he told me to go over a 6 or 8 foot ditch, so after a little hesitation, I went. I didn’t make it and I ended up cutting my forehead on the handle bars of my bike, but it was still fun. Another time (the same trip to Vermont) my friend and I built a rope swing into the river that bordered his property. We took my bow and arrow and shot a small string over a big old oak branch, then we tied a big rope to the small string and pulled it over. After tying the rope and testing the depth of the water, I stood on a ledge with the rope and jumped off. That just shows that if I think that something will be fun, I will most likely do it (to an extent), and life is short so make the most of it.

RossignolRossignol is my favorite brand of skis, and the brand of my first skis. When I

started skiing in 4th grade, I got a pair of 130cm Rossignol downhill skis for Christmas. That year I went skiing at least once a week and taught myself how to ski. Now, whenever I need a new pair of skis I buy Rossignol. A few years ago, after hitting a patch of ice, I lost control and hit a lift pole. The crash put stitches in my knee, and broke my skis, when I went to buy new skis Rossignol gave me a new pair of skis for free because of their warranty. I will always use Rossignol.

SkiingI have been skiing almost all of my life. I have been cross-country skiing since

I was 2 or 3 and I have been downhill skiing since I was in 4th grade. I live in an ideal location, living on a farm gave me 64 open acres to learn to cross-country ski, and being 20 minutes away from Wachusett Mountain. When the snow is good, I ski about 10 or 15 miles a week around the farm and go downhill skiing at least 2 times a week. In 2014 or 2015, my dad and I plan on going to Tenth Mountain Ski Trail in Colorado. The trail is 50+ miles of “Hut to Hut” cross-country skiing in the Rockies and is near great downhill ski resorts. Skiing is a large part of my life.

Wachusett Mountain A Hut on the Tenth Mountain Trail

TomatoesWhen I was 8 years old, I started growing my own vegetables (technically

fruit because I was growing tomatoes, but that is a controversial topic). Over the summer I grew about 40 cherry tomato plants, and did all of the work for them. I bought and planted the seeds, watered the plants, transplanted them into the fields, staked them, strung them, picked them, and sold them. By the end of the summer I made $800 and used that to buy a bike, then I put the rest in my college fund. That summer influenced my ideas for my future, and made me keep growing things to help earn money for college.

Uncle PeteMy Uncle Pete is my mom’s brother who lives in Maine. Every year my mom,

some of her friends, my sister, and I go up to Ogunquit, Maine for a week (20 minutes from where my uncle lives). We have made a tradition that every year we get together with Pete and his family for fresh caught lobster at his house. We all go swimming in his pool, and then walk to downtown Kennebunk Port. One winter my family went up to visit on New Year’s Day, and my Uncle and I did the local polar plunge. We hop in and out of the ocean so quick that you probably wouldn’t have know that we went in, even if you were watching. My Uncle Pete and I have done a lot together.

Pete and I in New Hampshire.

ViolinViolin is the first instrument that

I played. When I was in 1st grade, I wanted to play the trumpet, but the music school said that I was too small and did not have a large enough lung capacity. That is when they suggested the violin, so I agreed to try it. I took lessons for 4 years and went to one “camp” in Goffstown, New Hampshire for two days. When I got into 5th grade I finally quit and started playing the saxophone. To be honest, I absolutely hated the violin, and the 4 years was to just buy my time until I could play for the school.

WarrenWarren is my Grandfather and

my dad’s father. He has taught me how to fish, how to drive, and how to do just about everything related to carpentry. Most years, starting in November, my grandfather helps me build my dads Christmas present. He teaches me how to use the saws, drills, and different techniques. If I ever mess up, he goes on and on about how dangerous it could be. My grandfather has taught me so much.

X-CountryStarting in 7th grade I have run cross

country. Since I could move, I have been exploring and running around. I run back and forth around the farm if someone needs something, or if I just want to get somewhere. In 3rd grade I ran the Mile Madness for my school, and came in 3rd place to 2 fifth graders. In fourth and fifth grade, I was the fastest in my school for running a mile. When I went to middle school, I thought about running cross country, but I decided to play club soccer instead, but I quit and ran in 7th and 8th grade. Every race in 7th grade I came in first for my school, but a kid from Samoset and I would switch of coming in first. In 8th grade though, I won every race and made a new best mile time of 5:34. I plan on running in high-school, college, and hopefully on after that.

Yearn

In my life, I want to see the world. I want to go to all of South America, Australia, all of Europe, and anywhere else I can. When my dad got out of college, he traveled throughout the South Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand. The memories are definitely worth the money. I hope that I will get the same opportunity that my dad had.

Australian Scenery

Zip lineIn 2008 when I went to Costa Rica with my family, I went on a 1km long zip

line. It was the 3rd to last day that I was there and I wanted to make the most of it. So in the morning, my dad and I went up to the zip line company to sign up and get ready. There was one problem though, it was pouring rain and 50 degrees. The workers warned us the it would feel like driving down a highway during a rainstorm with no windshield, but I decided to go anyway. 3, 2, 1, GO! I jumped off the platform and went soaring down the wire. The employees were right, it did sting, but it was fun anyway. After about one minute it was over, and I was on the next platform getting strapped in to another wire. I went down that wire and 3 others before we left. The zip line was one of the most fun experiences that I have ever had.