Rice's Fruit Farm closes

Date: 3/30/2009

By Natasha Clark

Assistant Managing Editor



WILBRAHAM -- Jesse Rice does not want to see his beloved fruit farm sit idle. It has been a staple in the town of Wilbraham since it was founded in 1894.

Though it officially closed down on March 22, he sincerely hopes someone will commit to managing the business and get it back up and running by peach season in August.

How likely that is to happen is uncertain. What is known is the hole its closing has placed in the hearts of those who hold the fruit farm stand and the Rice family dear.

"I've had a number of people speak to me about it and they are disappointed about it as well as I am," Rice said.

His granddaughter Amy, who had been residing over the business aspect of managing the fruit farm with her late father Wayne, said she had been fighting the close for a long time. While Rice is still the owner of the fruit farm, Wayne and Amy had started a corporation to deal with the daily grind of maintaining the farm. She said both financially and emotionally it has been trying. After her father Wayne passed in 2007, Amy said she told herself she would give it at least one season.

"But the bills just piled compared to the income," Amy said. Selling the fruit was not an issue, according to Amy, it was other business expenses and machinery maintenance.

"I am just as devastated as everybody else," Amy said.

The 90-acre farm is currently up for sale. The land is designated for agricultural use and Rice said he has had "a couple people looking at the area for possible purchase for growing other kinds of trees." He said there is a lot of open space that could be used for any kind of agricultural purpose. He inherited the farm in 1939 after graduating from high school and said it is the only place he has ever lived.

"I'd be willing to talk to anyone that might be interested in running the place. I got all of the equipment. It's not new but it's serviceable," Rice added.

He said anyone seriously interested can contact him through his information in the phone book.

For now, Amy will continue to work her part-time job as a technician at Walgreens. She held that position for 15 years before returning to farm work full-time.

She'll always remember her father as the heart and soul of the orchard. "My father lived for that mountain and for that fruit," Amy said. To her loyal customers she also wanted to say, "Thank you. But to also say I am sorry."