BEN’S BULLETIN
November 2014
Impactful interactions, special stories, and memorable moments from Farmer Ben
Still recovering from the economic woes of loosing the 2014 peach crop, Bill and Ben have been working diligently at planning a replacement peach block. It should be noted that over one-third of our peach trees were lost to severe cold temperatures last winter. Thankfully, farmers have short memories… we will be planting more peaches this spring! Quarry Hill has occupied all the eligable well-drained ground at high elevation on their own property with other plantings. So we reached out to one of the founding families of Berlin Heights, the Lowry’s, to partner on a new peach block.
After a short deliberation, the family (Jim, Pie, Amy, Terri) decided it would be great to have peaches out their side yard. And so a contract was signed sitting around the kitchen table at the Lowry place this past Monday. Now this was quite an experience for Ben, having been a big-city land development engineer for the past decade. Dialogue did not dwell on the particulars of contract law, but rather steered towards the way things used to be. Such is business in a small town. If there were ever defined a period of prosperity for the small Village of Berlin Heights, that is what Jim Lowry enjoyed reflecting on. He recalls the town as a center for commerce and conversation.
As a boy, Jim noted Berlin Heights was comprised of 3 grocery stores, 2 barber shops, a hotel, countless bars, 2 tractor dealerships and about 3 times as much acreage in orchards as presently found. Bill was quick to fall in step with stories of his youth. It became clear to Ben that on several occasions Mr. Lowry had to reprimand Bill (known as Chip in his grade school days) for tormenting the Lowry chicken coop after school on his walk home. One might say that the glory days of Berlin Heights are in the past… but we won’t.
It was a somber drive back to the farm in the truck for Ben and Bill. Anticipating a new planting yet reflective… the last warm days of November will soon give way to winter’s chill. Please note the southwest corner of Mason Road and Route 61 on your visit to the orchard next season. There you will see the beginnings of our project.
