 As I told Stephanie Hobbs who maintains our newsletter mailing list, and prepares and mails the newsletters: I have been procrastinating since our closing in communicating with you concerning the serious disappointment expressed after driving some distance to the farm to find out we were sold out of cider.
After Tim Foley interviewed us and took pictures of cider being made, we had no idea of the magnitude of the article Tim might write, and if or when it might be printed. At the time he interviewed, we were making cider on Wednesdays. During the two weeks prior to the article being printed, demand for cider was increasing so much we went to two day production: Thursday and Saturday. Many of you came on Wednesday, and we had no cider!
The next two weeks our two days of production was nowhere near enough to meet demand. More very unhappy customers. Some of you saying you'll never come back to our farm. Please forgive us and come back next season. Sometimes things happen, both good and bad, that get totally out of our control.
As a result of Tim's article the demand for all of our products, including fresh apples, was such that we had to close three weeks early. We are actively brainstorming and working at how we can adequately increase processed product production next season. It would be difficult in the near term to increase processing room size and equipment capacity. Our best solutions probably lie with running production more hours per week; a second shift, longer days and additional part time employees.
During this period of increased product demand and closing early, Betty and I both encountered serious health problems. Both are now under good control. Also, our first great grandson was born.
 As the weather permits, Jeremy, Jake, Doug and I are busy preparing for next season. Planting more blackberries, muscadines and raspberries. Frankie will be busy until bloom pruning the fruit trees - every tree every year. Have ordered and will be planting first week in March additional peach and nectarine trees.
For customers who love to smoke and barbecue, have cut down six rather large apple trees. If you would like some of the apple wood, bring your chain saw and a way to haul, and come and get! Call me to set up a time at (864) 979-8378.
We're removing the row of Gooseberry bushes this spring. This variety grows very well and produce a good crop of berries. If you would like a few plants, give me a call. First come first served.
Last year we changed Perdue Fruit Farm from a Sole Proprietorship to a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). In doing so had to register with the South Carolina Secretary of State using a name that had never been used before. In doing so found that most Perdue possibilities were used. Then tried the original French spelling, Perdeaux. It had never been used. So our LLC is listed as PERDEAUX FRUIT FARM. Some changes have already been made, as you'll see at the top of this email, and in the future you will see more of our converting to the use of PERDEAUX.
Thanks for being such great customers and friends! Have a very happy, healthy and successful 2012!
Dick and Betty Perdue
Upcoming Events that we thought you might be interested in:
Two upcoming gardening programs offered by Clemson Extension and the Greater Greenville Master Gardeners.
1) Junior Master Gardener - designed for 8 to 10 year olds to learn about gardening and growing things. It meets one Saturday per month at The Children's Museum of the Upstate.
2) Sowing & Growing: Fundamentals of Gardening - designed for adult audiences interested in improving their gardening/landscaping skills. It meets on Tuesday evenings, March 6 - April 10.
Information about both programs is available on the Greenville County Extension web page: www.clemson.edu/greenville.
Beekeeping Introduction
Explore the world of honeybees and the art of keeping them, whether for interesting fun or to obtain your own pure local honey for a good taste and good health. Discover secrets of beekeeping, an 8000-year-old practice, while learning the practical realities of beekeeping today. Cover honeybee biology, bees' relationship with flowers, management of the honeybee in each season, and honey extraction. Understand the hive and its parts, installing bees and the various threatening parasites, diseases, and hive invaders. Let our Journeyman Level beekeeper and operator of 40 hives teach you what you need to know and even show you with optional field trips (weather permitting) to his bee farm.
Course prepares participants for the (optional) SC Certified Beekeeper exam.
Recommended text: First Lessons in Beekeeping by Keith Delaplane. Mondays, 8 sessions, Feb. 6 – Mar. 26, 6:30-8 pm $89
PHONE: call 864-294-2153, 294-3134 or 294-2156
ONLINE: www.furman.edu/LearningforYou
 RETAIL FARM MARKET HOURS
CLOSED until June 2012
FARM ADDRESS FOR INTERNET DIRECTIONS AND MAP
2400 S.C. Hwy 11
Travelers Rest, S.C. 29690
See Map
Retail market phone: (864) 895-0608
View past newsletters, including the first newsletter of the season, and print out our fruit ripening charts online anytime at http://carolinafarmers.com/perdue/.
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