♪ >> MY NAME IS ALEX CONCERT.

AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, MY MISSION IS TO CREATE DOCUMENTARIES USING A STRAIGHTFORWARD ROADS, INVITING THE VIEWER TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF LACE.

WELCOME TO A NEW SEASON, SHOWCASING STORIES ON THE LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT.

WE EXPLORE THE -- WE EXPORT THE FARMING INDIVIDUALS -- FARMING INDUSTRY, INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK THE LAND AND SEA, AND IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMERS IN THE OCEAN STATE.

THIS IS HARVESTING RHODE ISLAND.

I'M HERE AT DAY AND FARM IN JOHNSTON, RHODE ISLAND.

I'M HERE WITH JUSTIN DANE.

YOU ARE A SIXTH GENERATION AS A FAMILY, AND YOU ARE KIND OF GOING TO BE RUNNING THE FARM, I GUESS, WHEN THE PARENTS GET TO -- YOU HAVE A NICE VARIETY OF THINGS GOING HERE.

YOU HAVE AN APPLE ORCHARD.

HOW MANY TREES DO YOU THINK?

JUSTIN: RIGHT AROUND 650.

ALEX: YOU HAVE PEACH TREES.

JUSTIN: WE HAVE ONE ACRE OF PEACHES.

ALEX: WHAT TIME OF YOUR DO THE PEACHES COME OUT?

JUSTIN: THEY SHOULD COME ON JULY 15, JULY 20.

THEY WILL GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH AUGUST.

OUT OF THE PEACHTREE.

JUSTIN: YEP.

WE HAVE THEIR VARIETY SPACED SO WE CAN KEEP THE SEASON GOING.

ALEX: YOU DO A LOT OF SUNFLOWERS HERE.

JUSTIN: WE HAVE THREE ACRES OF SUNFLOWERS, SOMEWHERE NEAR 80,000 PLANS.

ALEX: I NOTICED DRIVING IN, THERE WAS A LOT OF SQUASH FLOWERS GROWING.

IT LIKE THEY WERE READY TO BE PICKED.

JUSTIN: THOSE ARE MAINLY PUMPKINS.

WE DO THAT FOR THE FALL, BECAUSE WE HAVE PICK YOUR OWN PUMPKINS.

WE ALSO HAVE A HUGE WINTER SQUASH AND GORGE SELECTION.

ALEX: THIS FARM IN WHERE WE ARE LOCATED RIGHT NOW WAS PURCHASED BACK IN 1840?

JUSTIN: IT CAME FROM THE BROWNS.

I'M NOT SURE IF THEY PURCHASED IT OR IF IT CAME WITH AN ACTUAL GRANT WHEN THE BROWNS CAME OVER FROM ENGLAND.

ALEX: DID THEY USE IT AS FARMLAND?

JUSTIN: YES.

ALEX: DON DANE CAME BACK IN 1890 AND WENT ACROSS THE STREET FROM US AND PURCHASED THAT LAND.

JUSTIN: RIGHT.

ALEX: STARTED GROWING THERE, AND YOU STARTED BACK ON THIS SIDE.

JUSTIN: HE MARRIED AMY BROWN, THE GIRL ACROSS THE STREET.

WHEN HER GRANDMOTHER DIED, SHE INHERITED THE FARM, SO THAT IS HOW THE DAMES GOT SETTLED HERE, ON THIS ISLAND ROAD.

ALEX: YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

JUSTIN: RIGHT.

ALEX: I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BLUEBERRIES YOU ARE GROWING.

ARE THEY A DIFFERENT VARIETY OF BLUEBERRIES?

JUSTIN: YES.

THIS IS ACTUALLY VARIETIES -- LIKE VARIETIES OF ANYTHING, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THEM.

WE HAVE CHANDLER'S.

CHANDLER'S ARE REALLY NICE.

THEY COME LATER IN THE SEASON.

MOST OF THEM COME TO THE SIZE OF A QUARTER.

ALEX: REALLY?

JUSTIN: AND THEY ARE SWEET.

AND THEN WE HAVE BLUE CROP, AND A COUPLE OTHER ONES.

THE PATRIOT.

BASICALLY, WHAT THAT DOES, DIFFERENT VARIETIES EXTEND THE SEASON.

ALEX: SO YOU WILL HAVE BLUEBERRIES FROM JULY INTO -- JUSTIN: AUGUST.

END OF AUGUST.

JERSEYS WILL PICK THROUGH SEPTEMBER, BUT WE USUALLY STOP PICKING INTO SEPTEMBER BECAUSE WE START PICKING -- YOU PICK APPLES.

LOGISTICALLY, IT DOES NOT WORK FOR US TO PICK BLUEBERRIES AND APPLES, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING IN TOO MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

IT WORKS BETTER FOR US TO STOP IN THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.

ALEX: I'M ASSUMING YOU PRUNE THE BLUEBERRY BUSHES BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL UNDERNEATH THAT, SO THERE MUST BE A CERTAIN HEIGHT.

JUSTIN: YES.

THE NET HAS TO COME ON AND OFF EVERY SEASON BECAUSE I CANNOT TAKE A SLOW LOAD.

ALEX: RIGHT.

JUSTIN: YOU DON'T PRUNE FOR HEIGHT, YOU PRUNE FOR HOW LONG THE CANE HAS BEEN IN THE GROUND, BETWEEN FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS IS THE MOST PRODUCTIVE CANES.

ANYTHING -- THE RULE OF THUMB IS IF IT IS BIGGER THAN YOUR THUMB, CUT CANE OUT BECAUSE THAT IS OLDER -- IT IS PROBABLY OLDER THAN THE SEVEN YEARS.

THE BLUEBERRY BUSH WILL KEEP REJUVENATING ITSELF FROM THE GROUND UP, MAKING NEW CANES.

YOU WANT TWO TO THREE CANES FROM EVERY SEASON.

SO YOU HAVE TWO OR THREE CANES THAT DON'T MAKE ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY ARE ONLY ONE YEAR OLD.

ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CANES THAT ARE SEVEN YEARS OLD.

YOU TRY TO HAVE BETWEEN EIGHT AND 12 CANES IN BUSH.

ALEX: SO A CANE WOULD BE LIKE A BRANCH?

JUSTIN: RIGHT.

ONE STICK THAT COMES OUT OF THE GROUND.

ALEX: ALL RIGHT.

THEN IT FLOWERS AND BRANCHES OUT?

JUSTIN: RIGHT.

ON BLUEBERRIES, THE MORE BRANCHING YOU HAVE, THE HIGHER THE BUSH, YOU GET SMALLER BLUEBERRIES.

SO YOU WANT TO CUT THE BRANCHING OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND HAVE LONG STRIPS OF BLUEBERRIES.

ALMOST LIKE GRAPE CLUSTERS WOULD BE IDEAL.

ALEX: PEOPLE CAN COME AND PICK THEIR OWN.

JUSTIN: RIGHT.

ALEX: IS THERE A SPECIAL WAY OR SYSTEM ABOUT GROWING BLUEBERRIES , IN TERMS OF IF YOU PUT -- I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG THE PLANS COME IN, MAYBE A FOOT OR SMALLER?

JUSTIN: YEP.

ALEX: HOW MANY DOES IT TAKE TO GET INTO A BUSH WHERE IT IS PRODUCING?

JUSTIN: WE START OURS IN 2006 AND PROBABLY DID NOT GET THE GROUP PRODUCTION FOR PROBABLY FOUR TO FIVE YEARS.

YOU CAN SAY THAT IS A PROFITABLE PRODUCTION.

EVERYTHING --AN APPLE TREE, WE DON'T DO HIGH-DENSITY APPLE TREES.

YOU GET THOSE THREE YEARS AFTER PLANTING TO MAXIMUM PRODUCTION.

OURS ARE MORE STANDARD TREES.

WE TRY TO DO IT FOR THE ORCHARD, LOOKS LIKE AN ORCHARD BECAUSE IT IS ALL PICK YOUR OWN.

SO PEOPLE FEEL MORE LIKE THEY ARE IN AN APPLE ORCHARD ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT TAKES ABOUT SEVEN YEARS.

JUSTIN: THE NICE THING -- ALEX: THE NICE THING I LIKE ABOUT THE ORCHARD IS THAT THE TREES ARE NOT FULLY GROWN, NOT LARGE.

JUSTIN: THEY ARE ALL SEMI-DWARF TREES WE PRUNE LOW.

ALEX: AND IT WOULD BE EASY TO BRING CHILDREN IN HERE TO PICK.

JUSTIN: THAT'S THE GOAL.

[LAUGHTER] ALEX: I THINK THAT'S A BIG PLUS.

IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE TYPES OF APPLES YOU ARE GROWING?

JUSTIN: WE GROW 13 DIFFERENT KINDS.

ALEX: OK. JUSTIN: MOST OF TOMORROW NEW ENGLAND STANDARDS, MACINTOSH, MCALLEN.

WE DO HAVE HONEY CRISP, RED DELICIOUS.

WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT ONES, THE CHOCOLATE APPLE, GOURMET APPLES, WE TRIED A FEW VARIETY OF THEM AND THAT GOES WITH THE IDA REDS AND MATSUO C -- MATSUO OR CRISP.

USUALLY MY TWO HOLES UP -- MATSUO HOLDS UP WELL.

SO WE SELL THE APPLE.

WE PUT IN HAWKEYE DELICIOUS, WHICH WE HAVE DONE -- HAWKEYE RED DELICIOUS, WHICH WE HAVE DONE AS A EMILY THING.

THE HAWKEYE RED DELICIOUS STARTED THE WHOLE RED DELICIOUS THING IN THE 1850'S, AND MIGRATE GRANDFATHER PLANTED ONE GENERATION UP FROM THAT IN THE 1900 -- IN 1900.

WE DECIDED TO PUT IT BACK ON THE FARM.

MY FOLKS SAY IT IS THE BEST TASTING RED DELICIOUS THEY HAVE EVER HAD.

IT'S NOT YOUR WASHINGTON RED DELICIOUS APPLE, SO WE WILL SEE.

THEY ARE ONLY TWO YEARS OLD, SO WE WILL SEE HOW THEY TURN OUT.

ALEX: YOU HAVE A LOT GOING ON HERE, AND YOUR FARMLAND IS PRISTINE, SO I HOPE A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO VISIT ONCE THEY SEE THIS.

JUSTIN: THANK YOU.

ALEX: THANKS FOR HAVING US DOWN TODAY.

JUSTIN: NO PROBLEM.

ALEX: OK. [LAUGHTER] I'M WITH DARLENE AT DANE FARM.

DARLING, YOU ARE IN FARM -- IN CHARGE OF THE FARM STAND AS WELL AS, WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO?

DARLING: I TAKE CARE OF HIRING, EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT, ALL OF THE PHONE CALLS, FOR WHOLESALE AND RESALE -- RETAIL.

ALEX: YOU HAVE A NICE FARM STAND HERE THAT IS FAIRLY LARGE.

DARLING: AND NEVER LARGE ENOUGH WHEN IT IS BUSY.

AT SLOWER TIMES, IT IS PLENTY OF ROOM, BUT THERE ARE THOSE WONDERFUL DAYS OR NEED MORE ROOM.

ALEX: YEAH.

DARLING: BUT OVERALL, IT WORKS OUT NICE FOR US.

IT IS BIGGER THAN WHAT WE USED TO HAVE.

WE USED TO SELL UNDER A PICNIC TABLE OUR SWEET CORN AND POTATOES.

WE HAVE MOVED UP A LITTLE BIT.

ALEX: DO YOU CARRY JUST THE PRODUCTS THAT YOU GROW ON THE FARM HERE, OR DO YOU CARRY LOCAL PRODUCTS THAT ARE MADE IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND?

DARLING: WE TRY TO STAY AS LOCAL AS POSSIBLE.

WE TRY TO SELL MOSTLY WHAT WE RAISE.

THAT WAS EASIER BEFORE 2012 AND THE LAND CHANGES.

NOW, WE CARRY JAMS AND JELLIES.

WE STAY LOCAL, RHODE ISLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, OR NO ENGLAND.

EVERYTHING -- NEW ENGLAND.

EVERYTHING SINCE 2012 WAS NEW TO US.

WE WERE ALWAYS HEAVY PRODUCTION AND HEAVY WHOLESALE.

WE HAVE HAD TO ADAPT TO MAINLY RESALE -- RETAIL WHICH IS RISKY.

WE ALWAYS COULD BALANCE THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATED BOTH CUSTOMERS.

WE STILL DO.

BUT WE ARE MORE DEPENDENT ON THE RETAIL, JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE ACREAGE WE HAVE.

ALEX: YES.

DARLING: THAT IS WHAT WE CAN DO FOR OURSELVES.

ALEX: YOU SELL YOUR FLOWERS THAT ARE GROWN RIGHT HERE ALSO AT THE STAND?

DARLING: SUNFLOWERS WAS OUR NEWS CROP, BUT NOW THE DAHLIAS THAT WILL BE AN GLADIOLUS THAT WILL BE COMING, THEY ARE OUR NEWEST CROP.

ALEX: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE IDEA OF DOING MORE GREENHOUSE GROWING IN NEW ENGLAND SO PEOPLE CAN GROW OVER THE WINTER?

I CAN'T HELP BUT THINKING HOW THE CLIMATE CHANGES ARE AFFECTING THE FARMS IN CALIFORNIA AND ALSO IN FLORIDA.

DARLING: IN THE PAST, OUR ANCESTORS KNEW WHAT YOU HAD TO GROW TO BE SUSTAINED IN NEW ENGLAND.

THEY KNEW YOU HAD TO GROW WINTER SQUASH.

THEY KNEW YOU HAD TO DRY YOUR APPLES OR PRESERVE YOUR APPLES.

THEY KNEW YOU MADE YOUR ELDERBERRY OR STRAWBERRY WINE OR YOU MADE YOUR HARD CIDER WHEN YOU GOT SICK IN THE WINTERTIME.

WHEN -- THAT WAS THEIR JOB.

THEY WERE WORKING EVERY DAY.

FOR EVERY DAY.

WE HAVE LOST THAT, BECAUSE OF SUPERMARKETS, AND I LOVE MY SUPERMARKETS.

ALEX: IT'S TRUE.

DARLING: IT'S MUCH EASIER.

ALEX: MAYBE SOMETIMES A LITTLE TOO EASY BECAUSE PEOPLE IN AMERICA HAVE GOTTEN USED TO THE IDEA THEY CAN GET ANYTHING THEY WANT YEAR-ROUND.

DARLING: EXACTLY.

ALEX: THEN YOU LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING IN DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, AND IT IS PROBABLY NOT WORTH THE MONEY YOU ARE PAYING FOR IT, BECAUSE IT IS NOT FRESH, NOT LOCAL, THE NUTRIENTS HAVE ALREADY DIED ON THEIR WAY OVER HERE, SO THEY ARE NOT A PEAK NUTRITIONAL VALUE.

DARLING: I FEEL PRIVILEGED THAT MAYBE IN SOME PART NEW ENGLAND FARMERS TODAY CAN PLANT THOSE SEEDS IN YOUNGER FAMILIES TO SAY, "I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FIVE ACRES TO DO SOME OF THIS."

WE TRY TO ANSWER AS MANY QUESTIONS.

I CAN'T TELL YOU AS -- TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE GIVEN NAMES OF NURSERY COMPANIES THAT COULD GET STUFF STARTED WITH APPLE TREES.

I EXPLAINED DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE RHODE ISLAND GROWERS OR MASTER GARDENERS AT URI, THE PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GET INFORMATION BEFORE YOU GO INTO THIS.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO, JUMP INTO IT.

ALEX: I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US COME HERE TODAY.

YOUR FARM IS BEAUTIFUL.

DARLING: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE AND BLESSED.

ALEX: WE REALLY APPRECIATE BEING HERE.

DARLING: THANK YOU.

ALEX: [LAUGHTER] SO WATCH US ON TV.

DARLING: [LAUGHTER] ♪ ALEX: I AM IN NORTH SCITUATE, RHODE ISLAND TODAY.

I'M WITH THE OWNER OF THE FARMS.

HI, GIL.

HO ARE YOU DOING?

GIL: I'M ALL RIGHT.

ALEX: YOUR GRANDPARENTS STARTED THIS FARM IN 1930, AND THEN THEY PUT THE FIRST APPLES IN 1931?

GIL: THAT'S RIGHT.

ALEX: WAS IT A BIG FARM BACK THEN OR JUST SMALLER?

GIL: I THINK THEY PLANTED IT IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT BLOCKS.

THE FIRST YEAR THEY PLANTED MOST OF THE TREES ON THE HOUSE HERE.

THEN, THEY PLANTED THE UPPER ORCHARD AND CLEARED SOME LAND ON WHAT WE CALL THE SIDE HALL.

ALEX: YOU'VE GOT QUITE A BIT NOW.

THIS COVERS ABOUT 30 ACRES OF GROWING.

GIL: BETWEEN THIS FARM AND HOW MANY FARMS WE PURCHASED THREE YEARS AGO, WE FARM ABOUT READY ACRES.

ALEX: I KNOW MOST OF THE PRODUCTS YOU PRODUCE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPLES.

HOW MANY VARIETIES DO YOU HAVE?

GIL: IT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

I WOULD SAY AT LEAST 15.

ALEX: 15 VARIETIES.

ANYTHING UNUSUAL OR SPECIAL THE PUBLIC FAVORS MORE THAN OTHER ONES?

GIL: WE PLANTED A LOT OF HONEY CRISP.

THAT SEEMS TO BE THE APPLE IN MOST DEMAND.

WE PLANTED SEVERAL ACRES OF THOSE.

THEY ARE VERY POPULAR.

ALEX: I REMEMBER WHEN THEY CAME OUT YEARS AGO, A BRAND-NEW THING .

PEOPLE REALLY DUG INTO IT IT SEEMS.

GIL: MORE AND MORE PEOPLE EVERY YEAR ARE DISCOVERING IT.

WE ALLOW PEOPLE TO PICK THEIR OWN HONEY CRISP HERE, AND THAT HAS BEEN A GOOD THING FOR US.

ALEX: NOW, ARE THERE ANY OTHER UNUSUAL TYPES OF APPLES YOU CARRY, OR IS IT THE VARIETAL THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE GROWING?

GIL: I WOULD SAY THE OTHER VARIETY THAT IS KIND OF REMARKABLE IS CALLED EVER CRISP.

ALEX: EVER CRISP.

GIL: IT IS A CLUB VARIETY.

YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO AGREE TO PAY EVERY YEAR TO HAVE THOSE TREES AND GROW CROPS FROM THEM, BUT THEY ARE A TREMENDOUS APPLE.

THEY COME VERY LATE, AND THEY DON'T RIPEN IN NEW ENGLAND UNTIL NOVEMBER 1.

THEY HARD, THEY KEEP, AND VERY FLAVORFUL.

ALEX: SO THEY WOULD BE THE TYPE OF APPLE YOU COULD PUT IN THE COOLER OVER THE WINTER.

GIL: YES.

AND SELL IT AT A FARMERS MARKET.

WHICH WE DO UNTIL APRIL.

ALEX: I KNOW YOU GROW A LOT OF BLUEBERRIES.

YOU DO PICK YOUR OWN.

GIL: WE DO BOTH AT HARMONY FARMS AND HERE WE PICK YOUR OWN.

ALEX: WHERE IS HARMONY FARMS LOCATED?

GIL: AT THE INTERSECTION OF SAWMILL AND HOWARD LAY-INS IN GLOUCESTER -- HOWARD LAY-INS IN GLOUCESTER -- LANES IN GLOUCESTER.

ALEX: HOW BIG IS IT?

GIL: WE HAVE ABOUT THREE ACRES.

ALEX: YOUR PEACHES LOOK FABULOUS AS WELL.

THE COLOR ON THE NECTARINES THIS YEAR.

THEY ARE JUST INCREDIBLE.

GIL: THOSE ARE A WHITE NECTARINE.

WE DO THE YELLOW AND WHITE.

ALEX: I BET THEY ARE NICE IN CHRIST.

GIL: THEY ARE SWEET AND JUICY.

-- CRISP.

ALEX: THEY ARE SWEET AND JUICY.

-- GIL: THEY ARE SWEET AND JUICY.

ALEX: YOU GROW PUMPKINS.

GIL: WE GROW PUMPKINS ON THE FARM AND A COUPLE FIELDS WHERE WE PLANT THEM AS WELL.

ALEX: AND YOU HAVE SQUASH THAT YOU ALSO GROW?

GIL: YEP.

ALEX: ANY TYPE OF OTHER -- GIL: SWEETCORN.

ALEX: SWEETCORN.

AND YOU BRING THAT INTO THE STORE?

GIL: YEP.

ALEX: YOU HAVE A MAGNIFICENT BUILDING HERE THAT YOU PUT UP WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND BUY YOUR PRODUCTS.

I KNOW YOU HAVE JAMS AND JELLIES OVER HERE.

GIL: MY WIFE AND A WORKER MADE THIS, WITH OUR OWN FRUIT.

ALEX: GIL, I KNOW YOUR GREAT PARENTS STARTED THE FARM HERE.

YOU RECEIVED YOUR TRAINING BY WORKING FOR THEM ON THE FARM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

GIL: YES, I DID.

ALEX: AND YOU LEARNED EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT GROWING?

GIL: IN A WAY.

I LEARNED A LOT FROM MY GRANDFATHER, BUT I LEARNED PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU NEVER, EVER CAN STOP LEARNING IN THIS BUSINESS.

HE WOULD BE 80 YEARS OLD AND I WOULD COME IN, FIRST THING IN THE MORNING TO GET MY DIRECTION, AND HE WOULD BE STUDYING THE NEW ENGLAND TREE FRUIT PEST GUIDE.

GIL: AND WHAT YEAR DID YOU BUY FROM HIM?

ALEX: MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED IT -- ALEX: AND WHAT DID -- WHAT YEAR DID YOU BUY IT FROM HIM?

GIL: MY WIFE AND I -- ALEX: AND YOU DO FARMERS MARKETS.

GIL: WE HAVE DONE AS MANY AS 13 A WEEKEND WE ARE DOWN TO NINE OR 10 NOW.

ALEX: DO YOU SELL MOST OF YOUR APPLES THROUGH THE FARMERS MARKET?

GIL: NO.

WE SELL A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE THERE, A PERCENTAGE HERE IN OUR AND WE DO PICK YOUR OWN.

ALEX: AND YOU HAVE APPLES THAT START AS EARLY AS?

GIL: WE JUST FRUITED FOR THE FIRST TIME A NEW VARIETY CALLED PREMIER HONEY CRISP, WHICH WE PICKED I THINK THE 10TH OR 12 OF AUGUST.

IT IS JUST EXACTLY LIKE A HONEY CRISP, BUT IT IS ABOUT THREE WEEKS EARLY.

ALEX: THEN YOU GO RIGHT INTO NOVEMBER?

GIL: YES.

RIGHT.

WE WILL FINISH UP WITH FUJI, GRANNY SMITH, AND EVER CRISP -- EVERCRISP.

ALEX: GIL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US COME UP TODAY.

WE CAN TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE FIELDS A LOOK AT SOME OF THE APPLES AND PEACHES.

GIL: THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

ALEX: THANK YOU.

♪ [ENGINE IDLING] ALEX: I AM HERE AT BARDING FARM WITH SANDY BARDING.

SANDY, YOU ARE THE BRAINS BEHIND THE RETAIL SHOP, RIGHT?

WE WON'T TELL THAT TO GIL.

SANDY: I AM THE WORKHORSE FOR THE PAPERWORK.

ALEX: YOU ARE THE ONE THAT DOES ALL OF THE WORK AND TAKE CARE OF THE MONEY.

AND YOU TAKE CARE OF THE PAPERWORK FOR REGISTERING TO GO INTO FARMERS MARKETS, AND THEN YOU DEAL WITH THE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU BRING IN.

AND THE SCHEDULING.

THEN, I'M ASSUMING, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE DISCUSSING WITH GIL ABOUT THE PRODUCTS YOU ARE SELLING INSIDE OF THE SHOP, YOU KIND OF OVERSEE ALL OF THAT AS OPPOSED TO COMING OUT AND WORKING IN THE FIELDS.

SANDY: I KNOW.

I WISH I COULD DO MORE.

BUT THE FIELDWORK, LEAVE THAT TO SOMEONE ELSE.

SOME OF IT CAN ONLY BE DONE BY US.

ALEX: I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE FARM IS ALSO A BUSINESS.

SANDY: RIGHT.

THERE IS LOTS OF PERMITTING, LOTS OF RULES, CONFORMING TO REGULATIONS.

THIS IS BECOMING MORE OF MY TIME.

AND SO I ACTUALLY NEED TO HIRE SOMEONE TO DO SOME OF THAT, WHICH IS AN EXTRA ADDED COST FOR US TO COMPLY WITH A LOT OF RULES COMING.

ALEX: HERE'S A GO, WHEN I WENT TO SOME OF THE UPPER ORCHARDS THEY USED TO BRING WORKERS IN, DO YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF PROGRAM YOU ARE WORKING WITH?

GIL: WE WORK -- SANDY: WE WORK WITH THE HQ A PROGRAM -- H2A.

ALEX: H2A?

AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE COME IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, RIGHT?

SANDY: THE SAME GENTLEMAN HAS COME FROM JAMAICA ALMOST EVERY YEAR, AND HE PICKS ALL OF OUR APPLES AND PEACHES.

WE HAVE A SECOND GENTLEMAN COMING IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.

WE HAVE TWO, BUT THEY ARE NOT HERE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

ALEX: PICKING IS A TOUGH JOB.

SANDY: IT'S ACTUALLY VERY SPECIALIZED.

ALEX: VERY SPECIALIZED.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO PICK, AND WHAT TO LEAVE.

SANDY: RIGHT.

ALEX: IT'S A WHOLE PROCESS IT FOLLOWS.

SANDY: AND IT IS DIFFERENT FOR AN OPERATION LIKE US THAN IT IS FOR A WHOLESALE OPERATION.

I WHOLESALE OPERATION MIGHT GO IN AND PICK A BLOCK, AND PICK EVERYTHING OFF OF THE TREES AND PROCESS IT AND PUT IT THROUGH A PACKING TABLE.

WITH ALL OF THE SHOOTS AND THE SIZER'S, AND EVERYTHING.

AS OPPOSED TO US, WE DO EVERYTHING BY HAND.

WE SIZE IT BY EYE, PUT IT IN THE BOX WITH OUR HANDS, PICKETT -- WE DON'T PICK ALL OF IT AT ONCE.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT IS READY, WHAT TO PICK AND WHAT NOT TO PICK, WHAT'S ONLY FOR THE CUSTOMERS FOR PICK YOUR OWN SO YOU PICK ALL OF THE TOPS INSTEAD OF THE BOTTOMS.

GIL: MAKE IT -- ALEX: MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE CUSTOMER.

SANDY: RIGHT.

ALEX: ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN.

SANDY: RIGHT.

EVERYONE SAYS THEY WANT TO PICK APPLES WHEN WE HIRE THEM, WE SAY YOU CAN'T PICK APPLES BECAUSE THAT TAKES A SPECIAL SKILL SET.

ALEX: YOU FIND YOURSELF CARRYING ANYTHING DIFFERENT IN YOUR SHOP THAT YOU ARE NOT DOING RIGHT NOW?

SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE?

SANDY: ABSOLUTELY.

AN EMPLOYEE OF OURS MAKES CIDER SOAP WITH OUR CIDER.

ALEX: WOW.

I HAVEN'T HEARD OF THAT BEFORE.

SANDY: YEAH, SHE HAS A SPECIAL PROCESS, SO SHE IS STARTING TO DO THAT.

WE GO ON FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND THROUGH THE MARKET MOBILE PROGRAM, AND ALL OF THE LOCAL PRODUCTS ARE LISTED THERE.

SOME ARE OPEN NAME, SOME -- FROM MAINE, SOME ARE FROM NEW ENGLAND.

WE MAKE OUR OWN JAMS AND JELLIES.

AND WE HAVE HARVEST KITCHEN, ANOTHER ARM OF FARD FRESH -- FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND THAT PROVIDES AT RISK YOUTH FOR A CERTIFICATE PROGRAM FOR COOKING.

THEY MAKE APPLESAUCE, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO UNDER THE PROTECTION RULES, SO THEY MAKE THE APPLESAUCE FOR US USING OUR APPLES.

THAT HAS BEEN A GOOD SELLER.

PEOPLE LOVE APPLESAUCE, AND IT IS NICE TO HAVE IT.

ALEX: THAT'S TERRIFIC.

SANDY: I WANT TO THINK -- THAT'S TERRIFIC.

SANDY, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO BRINGING US TO THE FAMILY ORCHARD TODAY.

SANDY: THANKS FOR COMING.

IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS.

ALEX: HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD ENDING SEASON.

SANDY: YOU TOO.

KEEP WORKING HARD REPRESENTING THE FARMERS.

WE APPRECIATE THAT.

ALEX: THANK YOU.

[ENGINE IDLING] ♪ ♪