The Peru Gazette

By John T Ryan

Peru – Anyone traveling down Old Town Rd. this morning couldn’t help but be struck by the contrasting crop harvesting methods. On one side of the highway Adirondack Farms’ 600+ horsepower corn harvester was filling a huge truck and clearing a 15-acre field in a matter of minutes. About 100 feet away Dwight Bennett and Devon Dubidat of Forrence Orchards were spot picking McIntosh apples by hand, the same method that has been used for centuries.

Seth Forrence explained that most of the technology he uses involves the development of new apple tree varieties. The new shorter trees yield about 1,500 bushels per acre vs. 500 bushels per acre in the old varieties.  Pickers once used heavy 20 ft. to 22 ft. wooden ladders. Today thanks to science-based tree development technology, Dwight Bennett and Devon Dubidat are using 8 ft. aluminum step ladders in a safer and more productive working environment. 

Dwight Bennett

Devon Dubidat