Law & Orchids BY SUE LONG PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK GOULD
John F. Pyfer, Jr. has gone from being a super lawyer to an orchid grower. He pinpoints his love of nature and respect for conservation to his lifelong involvement in scouting. He honors the county he loves through volunteerism. Like the world in which we live, it seems all his interests have become interconnected.
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ou could say John’s love of orchids grew out of his stressful career as an attorney. In an effort to find a relaxing diversion, he became a collector of trains and clocks. “Nothing clicked,” he says. The issue was resolved in the late ‘80s, when he discovered the allure of orchids. “You know how that goes,” he laughs. “One plant led to another and soon I was in trouble. A sickness took hold that has yet to let go.” To accommodate his obsession, two greenhouses sprang up in the Pyfers’ backyard. In an article that appeared in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine (2004), John’s friend and fellow orchid enthusiast, Gary Hawbaker, observed, “It’s the challenge of rescuing them that attracts John to orchids. He’s a great rescuer.” He backed up those sentiments by saying nothing motivated John more than buying deeply discounted plants that were in terrible shape and saving them. He also made the observation that whether John was representing clients or growing orchids, his ultimate goal was achieving a successful outcome.
