Today I was interviewed on camera by Jen Ries and Daniel Falcone for a Fedco archival film. It was a deep dive back into the past fifty years or so. I had a chance to recount the beginnings of Fedco, the co-op system, the back-to-the-land movement and more. It was fun. Fedco actually began not as a seed and nursery company but as a food co-op. The seeds and then trees and potatoes and gardening supplies all came later.

I was also able to talk about leaving Fedco and how I view its future. Retiring from Fedco was something I was glad to do, though not because I didn’t enjoy the job. I spent over forty years there and loved it. But it was time to let others do what I got to do: that is, create and follow a vision. For the next generation to do that, I had to clear out. Which I did. And they have thrived in my absence. Thinking about all this turned out to be a rather nice way to spend a Monday morning in the orchard.

In the afternoon we harvested the La Crescent and Pamela plums and the Yellow Jay and Chance apples. All of a sudden we’re picking something everyday.