Eager to Serve

Abigail Hatfield partially credits her experience in the Avon High School (AHS) Marching Black and Gold for preparing her to march across the graduation stage this spring, and to continue marching when she arrives at the United States Military Academy - more commonly referred to as USMA or West Point - this summer.

“It is a rare honor, not to mention a courageous act of service, to seek and gain acceptance to West Point,” says AHS Principal Matt Shockley. “I am extremely proud of Abigail.”

AHS Bands Director Kevin Welborn calls Abigail an exceptional individual, student and musician. “We are certainly proud of Abigail and this major accomplishment,” Welborn says. “It’s no surprise, however, given her work ethic and commitment to her craft over the years.”

We interviewed this busy high school senior via email.

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU DISCOVERED YOU’D BEEN ACCEPTED TO WEST POINT?

I was extremely excited when I first received the news that I had been accepted to West Point. There are so many criteria that must be met to be accepted, I was sure I would be called out on a technicality for at least one of them. When I received my appointment - what they refer to as acceptance - I was sent an offer of admission and a certificate of appointment.

For someone who might not understand the significance of attending West Point, give us an idea of what you’re getting into and what it means.

The United States Military Academy, commonly referred to as USMA or West Point, is America’s post-secondary school to train the Army. The first thing I will do is attend R-day, aka reception day or plebe day, on June 26. After that, I will attend a six-week basic training session known as Beast, due to the high training standards. In those six weeks I will learn marksmanship, land navigation, rappelling, camaraderie and many other skills necessary to being in the Army. At the end of the six weeks, the new cadets take a 12-mile ruck back to campus. The school year at West Point is a lot more regimented than that of almost any other school. Meals are at set times, there are inspections of quarters and uniforms, specific uniforms must be worn each day as well as for exercise, the folding of clothes and making of beds are regulated, and, as opposed to most colleges, there is no way to graduate early. Once I graduate from the Point, I am obligated to serve five years active duty and three years reserve, as opposed to the four and four for ROTC scholarships.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

As far as plans for the future, I am aiming for an engineering degree, though I’ve yet to decide which one. Once I graduate, I will be a second lieutenant, and I plan to join the branch of engineers. From there, I intend to go as far as I can in military rank.

HOW HAS YOUR TIME AT AHS, INCLUDING ACADEMICS, YOUR EDUCATORS AND EXTRACURRICULAR INVOLVEMENT, PREPARED YOU FOR WEST POINT?

I think attending Avon has helped me in so many ways, not least of which was participating in the marching band for four years. Although the military is much more strenuous than the band, the training we were put through will help me when doing physical training in any part of the military, as well as providing me with the mental fortitude to push ahead when things get tough. The band also taught me one fundamental that many who join the Army don’t know how to do - march in time. I also believe the camaraderie I experienced, as well as the chain of command I was a part of, is a very good example of what I will experience in the Army. As far as classes go, I think Mr. Haiducu and Mr. Record’s classes have prepared me best. I am currently taking my second year of both AP physics and AP calculus. While West Point doesn’t offer AP credit explicitly, I can earn “validation” for classes if I prove to be proficient enough. This would result in the ability to substitute an elective for the core class.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER AHS STUDENTS WHO MIGHT CONSIDER CHOOSING YOUR PATH?

For any student considering West Point or any of the service academies, I would recommend looking into the application process as soon as possible. Even if you aren’t 100% sure you want to apply, the academies have a rather long application process, so it’s best to start as soon as possible.

There are four main parts to a West Point application - academics, physical fitness, medical fitness and a congressional nomination. Though you can also get a vice presidential nomination, this is more rare.

The nominations are a separate application.

I would recommend applying for as many as you can. Each candidate can apply for their two senators along with their congressional district’s representative. I applied for Jim Baird, Todd Young and Mike Braun’s nomination. You must receive a nomination in order to earn an appointment to the academy. I would also recommend, if at all possible, attending Girls or Boys State. This is a great leadership experience and is often looked for by admissions officers.

It is very important to know what you’re getting into when applying to a service academy. These schools will be more strenuous than any Ivy League college. The mental and physical experiences of the cadets is unlike normal college life. At normal colleges, students have commented on poor time management skills, having too much free time and having large parties. Many of these are impossible at the service academies. The schedule is very strict with little room for negotiation, and free periods are usually spent as study periods. Large parties that other schools have would be a group run at the Point.

West Point is a school to teach you how to serve your country. While you do not pay in monetary terms for this education, you are dedicating at least eight years of your life to this service. It is important to understand the value of your education at the academy before committing yourself to it.

* * *

Congratulations, Abigail. Thank you for your sense of duty, your honor, and for choosing to serve your country.

Beasley’s Orchard Has Been a Homegrown Favorite for More Than 75 Years

Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Amy Payne

Since 1946, three generations in the Beasley family have been bringing fresh fruits, vegetables and a ton of fun to families in Hendricks County and across the Midwest.

What began as an abundance of garden produce and a little red wagon on the side of U.S. Highway 36 has resulted in a major agriculture and agritourism spot within the county.

In the 1970s, the Beasleys transformed their Civil War-era barn into a retail market, apple packing facility and cider mill.

By the 1980s, families were taking trips there each fall to enjoy a traditional hayride and U-pick pumpkins in preparation for Halloween. In 1986, the first Heartland Apple Festival was held on the farm and quickly became a community tradition.

Today, Beasley’s Orchard sits on 165 acres and offers more than many people may realize.

“We’re looking at any improvements we want to make and talking about new things to try,” says Owner Calvin Beasley. “There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, but very important because our season has been extended. We start U-pick strawberries in late May and it

doesn’t stop until after October.”

When the youngest generation of Beasleys came home from college in 2015, there was a huge shift to invest in agritourism. In fact, the family was one of the first in central Indiana to adopt the agritourism business model.

“It’s not viable to not invite the community to your farm,” Beasley says. “You can’t make a living selling produce in a wagon. That business model has evaporated. However, agriculture and agritourism work holistically together. You can’t have one without the other because it’s the business of the farm that attracts the people who don’t live here but want the experience.”

By inviting guests to spend the day on the farm and taste the sweet, fresh fruit off of the plants or trees, the traditional hayride in the fall has resulted in many more options.

By adding a variety of U-pick events from strawberries to raspberries, sunflowers to pumpkins, visitors can enjoy an event nearly six months out of the year.

Even the annual fall trip to the pumpkin patch has been expanded to a full day including a corn maze, apple cannons, Barnyard Bonanza (children’s activities), and a festival nearly every weekend throughout the season.

Though Beasley and his staff are always looking for ways to offer new and improved experiences for their customers, currently he’s turned his attention to infrastructure needs on the farm.

“We’ve planted over 40,000 apple trees since 2019, and in the next five years we’ll triple our apple production,” Beasley says.

Currently the market barn contains fresh produce, fresh baked goods, locally sourced items, and Beasley’s Orchard merchandise. In the back of the barn they still run a bakery, cider mill and fruit packing operation.

Beasley is hoping to build a new facility for efficiency and storage in the next few years, creating additional retail space in the market and making more room for customers throughout their visit.

In addition, the work behind the scenes is paying off.

Beasley’s Orchard just brought home first place in the 2023 Indiana Horticultural Conference and Expo Cider Contest with their fresh-pressed, homegrown apples. Running a successful business doesn’t come without making tough decisions. A few years ago when Beasley made the move to general admission in the fall, he felt he lost some of the multigenerational families that held the tradition since the 1980s.

Popularity had grown to the point that staff were turning people away at the road. Guests were waiting two hours for access to attractions, and Beasley felt the general admission process would make everything run more smoothly.

“Going to general admission wasn’t easy but it’s all about balance,” Beasley says. “Honoring your past is a wonderful thing but business has to continue to move forward. We have to evolve.”

Regardless of some tough decisions made, Beasley says the relationship with his customers is incredibly important.

“It’s everything to us,” he says. “We don’t do anything without first thinking about the customers and how they will perceive those changes. Ninety percent of what we grow on this farm is sold right here, directly to our customers. That’s why we decided to plant additional apple trees. The demand for fruit was outpacing the supply we had.”

That’s why Beasley continues to work on adding events that allow customers to enjoy life on the farm.

For the second year, the Easter bunny will be on hand for scheduled photos in early April. Visit the Beasley’s Orchard website to reserve a time slot.

From late May to early June, visitors can pick strawberries on the farm, officially kicking off the growing season. In June and July, U-pick raspberry season leads directly into U-pick sunflower season.

In September and October visitors can enjoy picking a variety of apples, which ties into the fall pumpkin-picking season and festival events, all of which have been met with excitement and enthusiasm from the community.

In December Beasley’s Orchard offers Christmas at the Orchard, including scheduled photos with Santa.

The amount of work that goes into growing enough fruits and vegetables to accommodate the U-pick seasons may surprise some, but Beasley has it down to a science.

“There really has to be a perfect combination of factors,” he says. “Apples and strawberries can be super risky. The strawberries bloom early in the year and there’s a risk of frost. I’ve been able to determine a five-degree difference on our own farm, so if you look at the forecast and it says 34 degrees, when you get down lower to the ground where your strawberries are growing, it could be within freezing temperatures.”

After shaping the beds, covering them with straw each winter, removing the straw in the spring, planting, cleaning up foliage, and other detailed work, losing 50% of the strawberry yield can be quite expensive. This process of production is what Beasley finds most rewarding.

“I love it,” he says. “It makes it really rewarding when you make it through the ups and downs of the growing season. I’d do this for free but it’s not easy. There’s a lot of things out of your control and it’s not for the faint of heart. You can do everything right and still fail. I don’t know that there are a lot of professions that are like that.”

He has big shoes to fill but has carried on the family tradition on the farm since 2018. Those who know the family and have visited over the years can see the positive changes Beasley has brought to the business.

“I think my parents would be overjoyed with the growth,” he says. “They seized opportunities when presented to them, starting festivals back in the 1980s. I hope I’m making them proud.”

Beasley’s Orchard is located at 2304 East Main Street in Danville. Like the Beasley’s Orchard Facebook page to stay up to date on U-pick and other events, or visit beasleys-orchard.com. Hours are subject to weather and other factors.