many long days turning the farm into the bustling business it is today. The farm has a total of 60 acres of dwarf trees, bearing 14 different varieties of apples, from McIntosh and Macouns to Cortlands and Honeycrisps. Late season apples include the Red and Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Empires and the Idareds. In addition to their apples, they have 35 acres of easy-to-reach peach trees, bearing 11 varieties. Who knew there were that many different types of peaches? “They’re all juicy and delicious,” says Kim. “Unlike apples, I think the different peaches all taste very similar. The trick is to let them ripen on the tree. That makes them juicy and full of flavor,” she says. The peach season usually runs from early August to mid-September. The Shores also grow many of the vegetables they sell at their stands, as well as “tons of pumpkins.” Adding even more color to the season are hundreds of their own hardy grown mums. All of the trees in their orchards are easy to reach, so no climbing or ladders are necessary. The orchards are also handicap accessible. 30 GO LOCAL OCTOBER 2020
A typical workday for the Shores goes something like this: “Get up at 4:00 am and drive into Hartford to the regional market to load up on things we don’t grow ourselves. Back to the store to unload, then reload to go to our other store. During the day there is mowing, picking, washing, cleaning, helping out at the stores, other field work, painting, you name it! A quick bite to eat then home to check emails, phone messages, do paperwork, and pay bills.” The hardest part of the job, according to Kim, is working for 7 days a week for 6 months. “It’s physically demanding and no one here is young anymore,” she says. At their busiest times, they hire about 25 to 30 employees, who are all considered family. While acknowledging that this summer was a “very challenging season…no crop likes it so hot and dry,” the Shores love working outdoors. Also, Kim adds, “mornings when the sun is coming up and you’re out there working is the best feeling!” Johnny Appleseed’s is now offering their U-Pick pumpkins, complete with a hay ride (yes…wear your masks for the ride) and a corn maze, designed with the youngsters
