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the voice of the abingtons abingtonsuburban.com | June 29, 2017
The Scranton Tennis Club hosted a mixeddoubles tourney |PAGE 3
A local student has completed a pre-college program |PAGE 4
Abington-based team gets hard-fought win in tournament |PAGE 10
A BErry Good TimE It’s strawberry picking time at Pallman’s
by Linda Scott
Pennsylvania Turnpike came through. The farm then moved to its current SPEciaL to tHE abinGton SUbURban location. The second generation to work the farm was Arthur (Dutch) and Leona You can make a pie or perhaps jam Pallman. They had three sons: Richard, or jelly out of Pallman Farms’ strawberries. The berries can be added to cereal or who is now retired, and twins Bruce and Brian, who still work at the farm. enjoy eating them out of your hand. The farm, at 1511 Summit Lake Road Today, the farm is owned by the fourth generation, Craig Pallman and his cousin in Clarks Summit, started 28 years ago Douglas Pallman. with only one acre. There was a small “The older generation would pick a roadside stand to sell the berries. Today, big volume like 30 pounds or more. They of the farm’s 128 acres, 12 are devoted would freeze them and also make jam and to strawberries. preserves,” said Craig Pallman. “Some still The strawberry season lasts about do that, but now it is for the kids. They three weeks depending on the weather. come and see the farm, have a tractor Hundreds descend on the farm during picking season. Pails are sold at the farm ride, pick berries, have a picnic and see the turkeys.” or you can bring your own containers. The farm has a concession stand where Berries do not like excessive heat. A hot dogs, popcorn, soft pretzels, water, temperature of 75 to 80 degrees is just soda and strawberry splash smoothies right with cooler evenings. This season are sold. got a late start with May being a wet “I love working here and the people are month with lack of sunshine. The farm also sells turkeys and capons so nice,” said Caroline Ames, a member of the strawberry crew who will be a junior for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The farm first got its start in the 1800s at Abington Heights. She is one of several as a poultry/capon operation. (The origi- students who work at the farm. “It is a lot of fun.” nal farm is where Metropolitan Life is “We have people come to the farm now located on the Morgan Highway.) It was operated by Willard Edgar (W.E.) and from a 45-mile radius. They come from as far as Waymart and Towanda,” Craig Ruth Margaret Pallman. The farm later Pallman said. “We see a lot of the same moved to Shady Lane Road. Years later faces year after year and our customers that property would be sold when the are loyal. There are not as many as ‘youpick’ operations and not many are as big as ours.” “This is a summer tradition for us. We love to pick the strawberries,” said customer Elizabeth Scheland of Old Forge,
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A visitor to Pallman Farms helps out with picking strawberries.
who was picking with her daughters. “We picked about 5 pounds today and will go home and make a strawberry chiffon pie.” “The berries are so fresh,” said Brielle Scheland, who is 12. ” This is a perfect time of year.” “You get to pick the strawberries,” said 6-year-old Braylin Scheland. “I like them.”
“I learned good work ethics growing up on the farm,” said Pallman. “This job is seven days a week and 24 hours a day. It’s rewarding growing the strawberries and seeing the satisfaction on the customers’ faces. That is what makes us do this year after year. It is a reason to get out of bed every morning.”