Hello and welcome to the orchard!

The orchard created a very special opportunity in my life. I could have called it Real Estate, but it is more than that. The orchard became my exposure to rural life. It changed my way of thinking. I was not looking to become an orchard owner. I had no exposure to orchards or even rural life. I was looking for space. My living accommodations had included living with my parents and siblings, an off campus room, an upper flat, my first house, my second house and the orchard. I have been the owner of homes built in very different areas and times. As a home inspector, I can relate very easily to the buyer with my own personal experience.

I first moved to the orchard in September, 1986. This was also the time of incorporation. That is a separate story. The deal made was for a house on ten acres with first right of refusal for the remaining ten acres of a twenty acre orchard. The orchard was really a marvelous place. Back 1958, when the orchard was first planted, must have been really special. Not that it does not have it's charm today, but I was looking for space. The problem, as pointed out in another section, is people. I did not realize the problem for my neighbors when I first moved into the house in the orchard. I was the interloper. I was the beginning of the end. I came to realize the difference in mentality of the people from the city and the people from the country.

What I came to find out is that people from the city have no respect for others around them. I believe that an individual can do whatever he or she would like as long as it does not affect those around them. This a spin on the "Do onto others" ideal. People of the country are far more respectful that those from the city. It may even be more of the mentality of what you are taught by your parents. I could tell a story here about a neighbor, but it is not just one neighbor. There are good neighbors and there are disrespectful neighbors. I really just wanted to tell the story my first exposure to the orchard.

The contract I wrote with the seller was contingent upon the sale of my second house. I still maintained ownership of my first house. The plan was to sell the second house and refinance the first house to purchase the orchard. The first house would remain a rental unit. The original contract was written the day after I had been fired from the best job opportunity of my life! Can you sense how I came to loose faith and trust? From the time of writing the contract until the sale of my second house, there was time for the seller to teach me what he knew about the orchard. The seller was anticipating retirement from his day job. I would go out on week ends to ride around on the tractor for spraying. I do not remember clearly, but I think that he took care of the mowing.

In the fall, after moving in, I ran an ad in the newspaper for the apple crop. People came out to pick their own and have fun in the orchard. I had cash.I had a new engineering business partner. I had no day job. I had the companionship of an Irish Setter, who came with the orchard. Life was good.

    If you have a story to tell, send the story to orchard@applecitye.com. I might print it here.

The Editor