It’s always interesting when we make a change to the orchard by removing some of the trees. We get questions like why, what are you building, or to the extreme… are you going out of business? But the answer is very basic. All moves are part of a long term plan!
Many have noticed the trees we have taken out along Long Hill Road in a block visible from the store parking lot. We took out Jona Mac, Ida Reds, Braeburns and Macouns. The Macouns like to grow more wood than apples so they needed to eventually come out. The Ida Reds and Jona Macs were older strains of apples that have limited market desirability, so it was time for them as well. The Braeburns, although a crowd pleaser, were very weak due to the trees getting old. Think of it like spring cleaning where to make room for new and better “items,” you must weed out the old.
We are always assessing how the orchard is performing and what changes need to be made to keep the farm viable for decades to come. In that block we will be replanting Stayman, Fuji, Braeburn and perhaps some Granny Smith, an apple that will be new for us. We also took about an even bigger block up at our main orchards. This block will be replaced with a new planting of peaches and an early producing block of apples. Apples and peaches take three to four years to produce, so we always have to look ahead and plant varieties our customers want.
Sadly, our beloved Aristocrat pot pies were discontinued in 2018. The owner retired and closed down his business. We are sad to see him go, but we wish him well with his future endeavors. Aristocrat pot pies were a household name for many, and sold at multiple locations. They will be missed throughout the community. They were a wonderful company and made a truly amazing product. We know that it will be tough not having them in our market.
Ryan came to Bishop’s in June of 2017, where he started, and continues to be, our Orchard Foreman. He grew up in Uncasville, CT and went to North Western Connecticut Community College. His story is quite unique in that he didn’t always work in the field he now does. Everything changed for him after he met his wife Blair in 2007. After dating and becoming engaged, his wife accepted a position in 2013 at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. The two of them picked up and moved, with Ryan starting a job at New England Village, a day program for adults with intellectual disabilities. You might ask where this story is going, but we promise… it will all tie together!
We get asked all the time, “what do you do on the farm this time of year” , and the answer to that is a lot. The physical work on the farm is pruning the fruit trees. That is the single largest job we do all year, and takes about five months to complete. We use a combination of chainsaws, and battery powered pruners to get this done.
Next, grab one of our holiday themed entrees, or crock pot meal. Our corned beef and cabbage and Irish bangers and mash dinners are great favorites made fresh for you to enjoy. These are created and made by Chef Michael and Chef Karen! Indulge in freshly cooked pieces of corned beef brisket, cooked cabbage, carrots, and potatoes! Or, if you are looking for something a little different, check out our Irish bangers and mash. This dish is composed of delicious sausage, mashed potatoes and peas. Want to cook, but don’t want to go through the hassle of preparing every ingredient? Our slow cooker corn beef and cabbage recipe contains everything you need to create this popular dish. Just add to your crock pot, cook and enjoy! 
From Killingworth, CT, Alicia left high school and started to work at Cheeseboro Ponds in 1975, the same year she met her husband Al. Al was a Guilford native who fell hard and fell fast! Two years later in 1977 the two married and continued working for Pond’s, transferring to the research and development part of Ponds in Trumbull. Alicia stayed at Pond’s through her first pregnancy with eldest son Jamie in 1981. It wasn’t until after her she had her second son, Kyle, in 1983 when she decided to be a stay at home mom. During this time she had her daughter Kellyn in 1986 and in 1994 when she entered first grade, Alicia came to work for Bishop’s as a part time cashier.
One goal of our business is to keep our everyday customers updated on what is going on with the Farm. And always a frequent question is what goes on in the winter. A Bahamian vacation perhaps? No such luck, winter is a very busy time for all of us on the farm. “Boy I wish we had more snow this year” said no one who works on this farm. Pruning is the biggest single job we do on the farm, with apples, pears and peaches taking four to five months. Regardless of the weather we are out everyday pruning with very few exceptions. We have had some nice weather this year and pruning is moving along nicely. We use either pole chainsaws or battery powered loppers to get the bulk of the work done.
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