Milton Remmick, left, and John Revella, residents of the Outlook Pointe assisted living facility in Saxonburg, show some of the produce harvested from their garden. As well as providing a summer activity for the duo, the garden yielded fresh produce for residents and staff members.

SAXONBURG — A love of nature and a longing for fresh vegetables has lured two Saxonburg men onto the garden path. Both residents of Outlook Pointe, John Revella and Milton Remmick initiated a garden project this year at the assisted living facility on Bella Court.

"I asked Milton to join me because he has a background in gardening, too," Revella said, adding his own gardening increased after retirement, when he took classes and began to study botany and horticulture.

With help from Paul O'Hara, maintenance supervisor, the two men planted tomatoes, zucchinis, cucumbers, peppers, onions and Swiss chard among the landscape plants and lawn that otherwise surround the buildings. Sunflowers, parsley and a few asters also can be found on site.

"I got a chance to be the sidewalk superintendent," Revella laughed, referring to much of the physical work done by O'Hara.

Although Outlook Pointe hired an outside person to till the plot, O'Hara did the planting. Revella and Remmick did the weeding and watering, although O'Hara accommodated the men's request to mulch the soil with lawn clippings to conserve moisture and thwart weeds.

Remmick said he planted sunflowers in hopes the residents could enjoy watching birds as they fed on the seeds. Parsley and asters are also growing in a nearby courtyard. Revella said he intended also to grow basil, but the seeds didn't germinate well.

Both men say the project allowed them the chance to enjoy a hobby carried over from earlier years.

"After I retired, I took a garden class and read up extensively on botany and horticulture," Revella said. "(Before I retired) I always had a garden."

"I had a garden in my backyard even as a young kid," Remmick agreed.

"A lot of people don't realize how fantastic nature is," Revella also said. "In the early years of this country during the Depression, gardens were a necessity. In the second world war they had victory gardens — another necessity. Some people excelled at it. For others, it was too much work."

With a love of nature a driving force, the men said they also hoped to provide fresh produce to residents at Outlook Pointe. Without the resources for storage and preparation, the men noted much of the produce served on site is canned or frozen.

"I made cucumber salad for the dining room three different times," Revella noted.

"Everyone is enjoying the vegetables from the garden," agreed Karen Alchier, healthy lifestyles coordinator at Outlook Pointe.

"John and I went downstairs and made fried zucchini (recently)," she said, adding they also tried one of Revella's recipes using black beans and ziti along with the Swiss chard.

"I think it's done them a world of good," she said.

Revella is a retired mill mechanic. Remmick is a retired police lieutenant. Both men are World War II veterans.