Granddaddy Jessup's pocketful of stewardship

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According to local lore, my great-great-great Granddaddy Jessup used to carry around a pocketful of grass seed with him wherever he went. When he came across some barren patch of earth, Granddaddy Jessup would scratch around a little with his boot and then toss some grass seed onto that spot. 

I’d like to think that it didn’t matter much to Granddaddy Jessup who owned the land, or the name of the person who would one day benefit from the grass that he planted. He simply noticed a piece of ground that could benefit from a little positive attention. 

Granddaddy Jessup was being a thoughtful steward of the land and of his community. Sometimes, perhaps, he walked by a patch of healthy grass and knew that he had made that possible. My guess is, though, that he probably didn’t keep track of all his seed spreading.  A hundred plus odd years later, a cow might be eating some of that grass. Or there might be a backyard football game happening on a neatly kept lawn where once upon a time Granddaddy Jessup tossed a few grass seeds. 

I believe that Granddaddy Jessup understood that grass helps prevent erosion. Spreading grass seeds here and there kept the land healthy and fertile. NCCF’s community grantmaking funds are a great way for folks to spread a little grass seed in their local communities and leave positive legacies of their own. 

Just like grass prevents erosion, our community grantmaking funds will be there down to the road to help address future challenges and support important opportunities. 

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