It was an ordinary day. The main headline below the interesting photograph on the front of my morning newspaper read...FARM FAREWELL! The photograph that accompanied the headline seemed familiar to me.
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| View of Brook Lawn Farm Market from Route 501 |
It was a photo of Brook Lawn Farm Market which is a few miles from my home and less than a mile from where I taught Industrial Arts for 35 years. And there...underneath the headline was another photo of a fellow whom I had as an Industrial Arts student at Manheim Township High School many years ago and who eventually came back to teach the same courses at the high school from where he had graduated...many years ago. Jim Erb was an Industrial Arts student of mine many, many years ago. He was a natural in the woodshop and metal shop and loved the course that I had him in...Graphic Arts/Photography. He decided to give up farming with his family and went to Millersville State Teacher's College, later known as Millersville State University, to become a teacher. After his first year as a teacher at his alma mater, he thought it over and decided that he loved farming more than he loved teaching. But, the best part of his one and only year as a teacher was meeting the love of his life, Romaine, who also taught at Manheim Township High School. Not long after, they married and began to take over the family farm known as Brook Lawn Farm. The Industrial Arts Department head at Manheim Township High School was a fellow named Dean whom had a Christmas tree farm in northern Pennsylvania and sold his trees along the Lititz Pike...on the site known as Brook Lawn Farm Market. All three of my children worked at Brook Lawn Market for Dean when his Christmas trees were for sale on the site. It is the same building that was shown in the morning paper. Lose you yet? Well, the story in today's newspaper told of Jim and Romaine Era finally deciding to give up farming and selling their goods along nearby Lititz Pike at their farm market.  |
| Some of the many fresh items they raised and sold at their stand. |
I recently drove past the market and wondered why it was still closed, since certain crops they used to sell were in season right now. Brook Lawn was opened by Jim's parents, Roy and Ruth, in the 1950's. It was a unique farmer's stand because of the location in a developed residential neighborhood. It is located about three-quarter miles south of Neffsville and made a convenient source for fruits and vegetables fresh from the farm - apples, peaches, pumpkins, Heirloom tomatoes and squash where available in many varieties.  |
| View of one of their peach trees in bloom |
Jim and Romaine decided to simplify their lives. And....to do so, they have given up the amount of farming that was needed to operate their market stand along the Lititz Pike in the Neffsville neighborhood. No two people worked harder than Jim and Romaine during the growing and selling seasons. I will surely miss my visits to their stand along the Lititz Pike, but, after being totally retired for a few years now, I can surely see why they need a bit of year-long rest for once in their lives.  |
| Jim on his phone asking what produce he should bring to the stand |
I wish them the best and thank them for all the fantastic produce that we have purchased that they raised on their property. Good Job to both of you! You are certainly ready and deserving of a few years of peace and quiet. Now...if only you will take advantage of it and not feel obligated to go back to farming again. Enjoy your new life! I know I certainly am doing so! We all so much deserved it! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. |
| Final shot showing the interior of the farm market. |
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