All in the Family

TAKE O N E FR E E

All Family The cornerstone of our economy

in the

A Special Section of the SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT Family-owned and operated since 1891 • Calllicoon, NY • Section F • January 23, 2018

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ALL IN THE FAMILY

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

JANUARY 23, 2018

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Still milling after all these years

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ack in 1956, Robert Nearing, Sr. and Richard Johnson purchased the mill located on Depot Road in Cochecton, formally known as GLF. Once their new venture was incorporated, Cochecton Mills, Inc. was born. In 1961 Nearing, Sr. bought out Johnson and became the sole owner of the mill and a few more years later he then brought on board his two sons, Robert Jr. and Dennis.

After attending Mohawk Tech and a two-year assignment in the United States Army, from which he was honorably discharged, Robert Jr., began working full-time at the mill in 1966.

Dennis joined the family business

after serving six years in the National Guard.

Robert Jr. has since retired from the family business, but his son Patrick, along with Dennis and Dennis’ sons, Todd and Sean, are running the day-to-day operations at the mill. In recent years, the decline in the agriculture industry has forced Cochecton Mills to diversify their product line.

“We have had an influx of hobby backyard farms, which has helped,” said Sean.

“It use be 90 percent dairy feed, now the business is about 60 percent dairy,

Sean Nearing holding feed that has been freshly milled.

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STORY AND PHOTOS BY PATRICIO ROBAYO

The family of Cochecton Mills, from the left, Dennis, Sean, Patrick and Todd Nearing.

30 percent in poultry, and the rest is livestock feed,” added Sean.

The mill not only sells feed, but also an array of farm supplies and home items such as lime, coal, rock salt, fertilizer and many more things for a homeowner to keep their farm or home running smoothly.

Additionally, the mill produces feed for deer farms and have a nutritionist on board who adds the right amount of vitamins and minerals to their feeds in order for their livestock to have a balanced diet.

“Just like us, they need a balanced diet to help produce more milk for the cows and to have a healthy livestock,” added Sean.

In the early 70s a pellet mill, boiler, ingredients’ bins and a scale system was added in order to improve the workflow efficiency at the mill. A decade later, further improvements were made to the mill, which included the addition of grinding equipment and storage. Along with a sec-

Cochecton Mills has been a staple of Sullivan County since 1956 and still receives some of its raw materials for feed by railroad.

ond pellet mill, the farm store was doubled in size and newer feed storage bins and equipment for receiving CONTINUED ON 4F

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were added.

Cochecton Mills not only services Sullivan, Orange, Delaware, and Ulster counties in New York but also neighboring counties such as Wayne and Susquehanna in Pennsylvania and Sussex and Warren counties in New Jersey.

According to Sean, “We use to have a 25-mile radius, but now we service up to 100 miles.”

However, the mill still holds Sullivan County near and dear to its heart.

“If it weren’t for all the loyal customers and employees, we wouldn’t be here,” stated Patrick.

“Sullivan County made us,” added Todd. The mill currently employees 26 people, including the owners, mill workers and truck drivers.

Although some things have modernized at the mill, raw materials for animal feed still comes in by railroad.

“All successful mills are usually set up by a rail station,” said Patrick. The raw materials come from as far as Canada, the Dakotas and some from local corn farmers.

Furthermore, the mill saw the addi-

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SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

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tion of an automated mixing and pelleting system that improved the production at the mill.

Since 2005, both existing pellet mills were replaced with newer mills along with upgrades that were needed to the pelleting system.

More recently, in 2014, the mill underwent a much-needed upgrade of their receiving system, which included a new dragline, elevator and four new grain storage bins that enables them to manufacture 1000 tons of feed on a weekly basis with a delivery base of 125 miles from their flagship location in Cochecton with their own fleet of trucks.

Most of the operation is now automated, including packing the feed and getting it ready for delivery.

In 2016 a fire started in a forklift that was being serviced in the garage.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the garage and storage shed were destroyed and had to be rebuilt.

“One of the first things we did was to make sure everyone was accounted for,” said Sean, who was thankful to all the firefighters who came out to battle the blaze. “They were amazing.

They [firefighters] did a great job.”

The garage has since been rebuilt

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with more added room to fix their trucks and additional storage space for their supplies. Eleven trucks can be out on the road at any given day along with two seasonal trucks.

The agricultural business goes in cycles, and according to Sean, “Sometimes it goes up, sometimes down.

But we are here to stay. We [have] been very fortunate to have employees for so long.”

Cochecton Mills not only offers animal feed but a wide array of farm and home products Left: One of the pellet makers at the mill. Once the feed is milled it comes through this section to be made into pellets or crumble, depending on the customers requirements.

Thank you to the family businesses of Sullivan County for your important contributions to the business community!

Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther 50809

18 Anawana Lake Road, Monticello, NY 12701 845-794-5807 gunthera@nyassembly.gov

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JANUARY 23, 2018

The Heron is flying high in Narrowsburg

STORY BY KAITLIN CARNEY

adding “the changes in Narrowsburg (and in Sullivan County in general) over the past six years….it’s great to see all these little towns come alive with more and more shops, restaurants, second home owners, tourists, and we have even seen second homeowners making this their year round home. It’s great to see the community flourish.”

The Heron has been evolving too, from the updating of their outdoor space in 2016 to the opening of the Emerald Ballroom. “We updated the outdoor railing system to give a great view of the Eddy and added a permanent pergola, heaters, and a proper service station to extend the life of deck into late fall. When we took over the space that is the Emerald Ballroom, we weren’t sure what we were going to do with it. At first, it was going to be a space where people could have a cocktail while they wait-

FILE PHOTOS

With its inviting interior on Main Street, Narrowsburg, the Heron provides the natural, rustic atmosphere that also represents its menu.

M

arla Puccetti and Paul Nanni have worked together for more than a decade, “in one capacity or another,” according to Marla, and they always knew that opening a restaurant together was in the cards for them.

“It was bound to happen, and it’s been great. Paul is the chef and he manages the back of the house, I manage most other things. Paul’s brother moved from Detroit, my mom pitches in, and Paul’s parents help out on projects. It’s great because when we were in New York City, our schedules, when we first started dating, were opposite…we never saw each other. My dad was a

chef, I understand that. But now, it’s funny, we are together constantly.”

The Heron, located at 40 Main Street in the hamlet of Narrowsburg, is the restaurant that was bound to happen. Marla and Paul visited friends in the area, and loved it. In January of 2012, they opened the Heron converting a former diner into the eclectic, rustic, homey space that has welcomed countless guests for cocktails, small plates, dinner, brunch, and conversation. They still gather inspiration from family recipes, with Culinary Institute educated Paul tweaking them for the menu, like New Year Lentil soup.

“That was a tradition in my house, and Paul used my mother’s recipe as

inspiration,” Marla explained.

The Heron helped to lead a renaissance of Main Street in Narrowsburg, with eateries, specialty shops, clothiers and more popping up over their six years. “It’s been interesting to see the town evolve…it’s all for the better.

We had a feeling about Narrowsburg when we moved here, that there is something special about Narrowsburg and we are glad others are seeing it too. The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance was a huge draw for us. It’s nice to see new people come, from shoppers to shop owners. It’s fantastic… Narrowsburg is a great community of hard working and talented people on all levels-it’s a great place to call home.” Marla explained,

Marla Puccetti and Paul Nanni have worked hard to make the Heron the success that it is.

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SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

JANUARY 23, 2018

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ed for their table. Paul and I love live music, so we decided on this space that can host bands, private parties, community gatherings, and that is f now the Emerald Ballroom.” There are additional changes on the horizon as well for The Heron and Emerald Ballroom, including some new menu items in the spring at The Heron and more live music, comedy shows, karaoke nights, and fun at the Emerald.

The Heron and Emerald Ballroom have gone from breakout stars to welcome Main Street staple under the vision of Marla and Paul. “It’s been great, we are very busy. The people that are here, that support us, the tourists, the second homeowners, the locals who come during our quiet winter season, they keep us going.

There are so many great towns in Sullivan County, Narrowsburg is just one, and I think a lot of people know

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JANUARY 23, 2018

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Scott’s Auto Body in Hancock has built an almost familial relationship with their clients over 47 years of business.

Scott’s Auto Body continues as smashing success

BY RICH KLEIN

T

he year that lifelong Hancock, PA resident Scott Drumm founded Scott’s Auto Body in 1971, “Joy To The World” by Three Dog Night was dominating the music charts.

It’s a business that continues to bring great joy to his world, 47 years later, and one that he says he will never retire from or tire of.

Drumm hired his three siblings to work with him back then while they were in high school and college - and today his youngest of three sons,

All in the Family The Cornerstone of Our Economy Published by

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(845) 887-5200 Callicoon, NY 12723 January 23, 2018 • Vol. CXXVII, No. 64

Steven (who started with him at age 9) continues to partner with his father. A third employee has 40 years of body shop experience.

“We specialize in collision work because I’m a direct repair shop for five insurance companies,” Drumm said.

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Asked about the bodies of cars these days versus when he started, Drumm said, “there’s no comparison to what we had back in the 60s and 70s as far as materials and workmanship. He noted that there was much more steel on cars instead of the dominant plastics today. Yet, while

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todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cars are so much safer because of airbags and other technologies, the cars themselves incur much more damage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now when you hit a deer, instead of just bending the bumper, hood or fender, you actually are destroying everything thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plastic,â&#x20AC;? Drumm said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;from the front bumper to the windshield basically.â&#x20AC;?

He said the cost to repair a car from an average collision with a deer today costs between $4,000 to $5,000 compared to about $1,000 in 70s and 80s. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our deer hits are 70 percent of our collision business,â&#x20AC;? Drumm said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and 2017 was our busiest year for deer collisions in all my years in business.â&#x20AC;?

Asked about the keys to his business longevity, Drumm responded: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to be there all the time and work at it all the time. You have to take care of your customers like they are your family.â&#x20AC;?

He added that his advertising costs are minimal because of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;reputation weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve built up over the years.â&#x20AC;?

That reputation combined with being an authorized collision shop with the insurance companies in the

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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Scott Drumm (left) and his son Steven, said that people hitting deer last year accounted for nearly 70 percent of their collision business.

last 15 years has offset the heavy loss of the local population, which for years were a big part of his business.

Congratulations from

He said that in 1971 there were 14 auto shops, gas stations and car dealers combined in Hancock. Today, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

his place, a truck garage, two auto repair shops and just three gas stations.

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Monticello Greenhouses approaching 90th anniversary

W

here have all the flowers gone? The better question might be, where did all the flowers come from?

In Sullivan County for most of the 20th century and into the 21st, so many flowers have come from Monticello Greenhouses on Broadway, Monticello. Their flowers graced the grand entrances of the Concord (every summer) as well as The Pines and The Brickman in South Fallsburg. And at various times, the company counted some 80 Sullivan County hotels as clients - not to mention many orders from their guests.

The greenhouse grows numerous types of anuals, perennials, and vegetables.

Monticello Greenhouses was opened in 1929 by William Heins, who died in 2004. His youngest brother Richard, who is 83, is still running the show but now primarily with his nephew, David Heins,

57895

MATT SHORTALL | DEMOCRAT

Monticello Greenhouses Inc., located at 217 East Broadway, has an 89-year tradition of excellence.

among other family members, including Richard Heins, Jr. (son of Richard Heins Sr.).

They have 20 greenhouses in all on their properties, where all the plant materials are homegrown and nearly all the flowers, too.

Business boomed throughout the Borscht Belt years through the mid 70s.

David Heins, who graduated Monticello High School in 1982, said he started working springs and summers while in high school.

“We did a lot of work on the wholesale routes where we shipped to other florists and nurseries and planting the crops,” he said.

“As hotels died off, second home owners started to come in,” David Heins said. “It eased the pain of losing the hotels.”

Both Richard Heins Sr. and David Heins said the growth of second homeowners was gradual over a 40year period.

During the golden age of the

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BY RICH KLEIN

ALL IN THE FAMILY

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

MATT SHORTALL | DEMOCRAT

They have a wide variety of flora to choose from for any occasion, including weddings, anniversaries and more.

Sullivan hotels, though, every weekend there were events that required flowers, according to the Heins’.

David Heins added that, “during the week a family member guest would have a birthday or anniversary. Then, there were conventions and they wanted corsages, too.

He further noted that much of the new summer business is with Orthodox Jews… who want Shabbos flowers for their bungalows and homes as well as on some of the Jewish holidays.

The company for years used to get a lot of orders from locals and hotel guests who might have wanted to wire a flower order to Florida. But, today, with the Internet and easy phone number information, he said people can just call the local florist easily from out of town to place an order.

“In the old days, you’d have to use a catalogue if you wanted to send flowers to Florida,” David Heins said.

As for organizational customers, David Heins said, “We’ve had some big events at Bethel Woods… and we are looking forward to the (Resorts World) casino.”

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“We’ve had some big events at Bethel Woods… and we are looking forward to the (Resorts World) casino.”

David Heins Monticello Greenhouses |

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, he noted that the business always does better if that holiday falls on a weekday – because people like to show off their flowers at their workplace.

The company’s best year-round seller, though, is their petunia hanging baskets.

“The growing season starts after Valentine’s Day and we start filling up the greenhouses,” David Heins noted.

Now on the third generation of family employees, it remains to be seen if there will be a fourth.

But, it’s clear Monticello Greenhouses will continue to bloom in its 90th year in 2019.

Proud of our friends and neighbors at Cochecton Mills. Congratulations!

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MATT SHORTALL | DEMOCRAT

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