[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 21]
[Senate]
[Page 27952]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING RICKER HILL ORCHARDS

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, as we prepare to celebrate 
Thanksgiving next week, we should be mindful of the thousands of 
Americans who make possible the celebration as we know it today. 
Farmers of all kinds grow and harvest the sweet potatoes, turkeys, and 
cranberries that we enjoy on our dinner tables every fourth Thursday in 
November. In recognition of one such business, I rise today to honor a 
small family farm that has been harvesting delicious fruits in western 
Maine for over two centuries.
  Located in the scenic town of Turner in Maine's foothills, Ricker 
Hill Orchards primarily grows apples of all varieties, most notably the 
McIntosh, a tradition the Ricker family started in 1803. The small 
family-owned farm, now in its ninth generation, has expanded over the 
years to grow other fruits, including pears and peaches, as well as 
other items like North American ginseng. Of course with apples comes 
cider, and Ricker Hill presses its own cider on the premises. 
Similarly, the company sells numerous apple-related products at its 
county store, such as apple cider donuts--a fall treat in Maine--pies, 
turnovers, dumplings, and other sweets. For those without the good 
fortune of visiting Maine during the crisp fall months, Ricker Hill has 
an online store where customers can order sweet cortland and gala 
apples, refreshing cider, and other unique gifts.
  Additionally, during the early fall months, Ricker Hill adds 
cranberries--one of only three commercially grown fruits that are 
native to America--to its repertoire. The orchard dry harvests its 
small bright berries, as opposed to employing wet harvesting, allowing 
Ricker Hill to sell fresh berries at market that last longer. To 
produce the fruit, Ricker Hill must irrigate the bogs starting in the 
spring, while maintaining and repairing existing fields, and building 
new ones, throughout the summer. Finally, the company harvests the 
cranberries in early fall, using a small lawnmower-like instrument to 
collect the fruit.
  To entertain the whole family, Ricker Hill has taken great strides 
towards making a visit to their farm a day-long event. Complete with a 
corn maze, hay barn, obstacle course, and cider making tour, the 
company packs a plethora of activities into its Farm Fun Day Pass. 
Ricker Hill also offers tours to school groups of the farm's apple 
picking and packing operations. And something one would not expect at a 
farm, Ricker Hill even has a challenging disc golf course that winds 
through the farm's acres of bogs and woods.
  Ricker Hill Orchards excels at providing visitors with a 
quintessential Maine fall experience. And for over 200 years, the farm 
has been producing some of New England's freshest and most delectable 
fruits, a practice that has helped the company garner a matchless 
reputation. As Thanksgiving approaches, and families across the country 
sit down to plates of cranberry sauce and apple pie, I wish everyone at 
Ricker Hill Orchards many more years of successful harvests of the 
ingredients that make this holiday so special. 

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