Published: August 25, 2008 12:51 am            

Q&A: Newfane farmer John Peterson still runs vegetable stand at 82

John Peterson, 82, was born in the farmhouse at 6365 Ridge Road where there’s a modest vegetable stand with an honor box for folks to pay for the produce.

Peterson used to cultivate more fields on his 120 acres on Route 104 and truck farm to markets in Buffalo. Now, help is scarce and the person who took care of the market has retired.

John and Anne Peterson have been married 53 years and have four daughters who have moved away. One is a nurse, one works for the Lockport Board of Education, one is a music teacher and one supervises migrant worker training in three counties.

“When they were younger they used to run the produce stand,” Peterson said. “They all flapped their wings and flew away.”

John Peterson is not complaining. He enjoys watching the grass grow and a coffee break with farmers at the McDonald’s which is around the corner at Wrights Corners and at Tom’s Diner.

“It means a lot to get together with other growers,” he said. “We cry on each other’s shoulder and discuss what chemicals are working. ... The markets are changing tremendously.”

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QUESTION: How long have you been in business here?

Answer: I didn’t get into farming until after I got out of the service in 1947.

•••

Q: What do you grow?

A:We used to grow a wide variety of vegetables. Now I’ve cut it back. I have a large garden. We specialize in strawberries and asparagus early in the year. Now we’re into sweet corn and tomatoes, mainly; some potatoes and five varieties of winter squash.

The back of it has a complete packing line of vegetable washer and rotary table.

•••

Q: Is there U-Pick here?

A: Yes, for tomatoes and strawberries. We just started U-pick tomatoes.

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Q: Is it a money-maker or more of a hobby?

A: It’s been a real good money-maker. We’ve cut way back on it but it’s still a money-maker.

•••

Q: How many people work on the farm?

A: Right now I only have one part-time person. We used to have up to 10 to 12 people. I used to raise 25 acres of tomatoes. Now we’re down to just a few rows.

I used to have 12 acres of sweet corn, now I’m down to 20 rows. I’m pretty near out of it.

•••

Q: Did you cut down because of your age, or business concerns?

A: It’s a combination. The labor situation is difficult and also my age.

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A: Do you have family working?

A: Not any more. Anne used to run the produce stand until multiple physical problems. We always had part-time help. School girls worked in the stand.

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Q: Did you have migrant workers here?

A: Years ago it used to be migrant workers out of the south and now we use a few in berry time, Mexican workers. We just borrow them from another grower. They work part-time, a few hours a day.

•••

Q: How did you adjust?

A: When I got out of the vegetable business because of the labor situation, I planted field corn and soy beans because you can use machines to harvest the plant. You get away from hand laborers.

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Q: How has the weather treated you this year?

A: We’ve had an amble supply of rain. It’s been close to too much at times, but we’ve had wonderful crop growth. I think there was only once when we were a little to wet. Crops are looking very good.

•••

Q: Have you been able to get to the crops all right?

A: It varies. The rain can vary an awful lot in just a few miles. I used to do a irrigation when I grew a lot of tomatoes and sweet corn. I sold 90 percent of my irrigation pipe this spring.

•••

Q: How does the honor system work?

A: I don’t worry about that at all. Some people say ‘you’re crazy,’ but I don’t lose any sleep. If anyone wants to help themselves to a little, that’s their problem not mine.

•••

Q: Is there much competition in your field?

A: There’s always competition. I’ve always made my living here. The hardest part is the little “card table operation.” They work somewhere else and don’t have to rely on making money. They do it at a price you can’t stay in business for. That is a problem.

I know what I have to get in order to come out with a penny at the end of the year and they’ll put stuff out at a price that’s just ridiculous. They don’t need to make a profit on it.

        

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