In the 1870s, when a new irrigation canal arrived, Matthew Holt, father of Samuel E. Holt, permitted the canal to run through the west end of his property, giving him easy access to two water weirs for irrigation. The water made it possible to plant trees with a dependable supply, and tree lines along irrigation ditches and canals were a common feature of rural Utah. Along the east side of the canal, box elder, willow, and elm trees were planted to provide shade for animals and family, while Potawatomi plum trees lined the irrigation ditch on the north side of the property leading to a large fruit orchard just north of the house. The land from the canal to the house, north of the lane, was reserved for Samuel's vegetable garden, with an irrigation ditch about 50 feet from the canal's edge. Between the canal and the ditch stood the grove of trees, where activities likely ranged from harvest gatherings to informal family parties. For almost one hundred years, family and friends gathered there every spring to celebrate Easter and Margaret's birthday, with Easter egg hunts in the grove and dry canal bed and pickup baseball games in the field as favorite activities for the children. Autumn gatherings were usually held on the front lawn, where a large bonfire provided warmth and a place to roast weenies and marshmallows while visiting with extended family. At the heart of these traditions were Samuel and Margaret Geneva, and later their children, who made all feel welcome and loved.