The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-08
A GROCER-FARMER
What a New York City Merchant is
Doing-Raises Produce for Home
Store

DoLluoNuSS o'J Ohhs v ul JOCh
years ago, Henry Helms, a Brooklyn,
N. Y, grocer, first became acquaint-
ed with the writer. He subsequent
ly made several hunting trips to this
section. Later, through the in
ffuence of the writer he became ac-
quainted with Otto Rohland. He
liked this part of the country and for
few years brought his family to
summer near Narrowsburg and at
Lava, which is in the New York state
side of the Delaware. On his hunt
ing trips he saw farm that was for
sale. 1t measured up to what he
thought he wanted He found it
could be bought, and he lost no time
in making it his own property. The
property in question was owned by
the heirs of the late Charles Lippert.
Prior to this the property had pass
ed through three generations of
Sherwoods. Beginning with Albert
Sherwood, who carved the first fields
out of the unbroken forest, built the
primeval log structure of those days,
and felt a pride in his possessions.
These rude buildings were super
ceded by the more modern frame
buildings. Here he reared a large
family of sons and daughters and
made many substantial improve
ments, some of these in the form of
stone walls many of which are in
perfect condition to-day. Old age
crept upon this couple and untitled
them for such manual labor as farm
| ing calls for. One of the sons,
Wakeman, had in the meantime
built a home for himself and bride
on the same farm. He took the
property in charge, stuck to the plow
| for a time, met with adverses, or as
some would term it, had bad luck
and in time handed the property over
to his only son, Charles. He, too,
let it pass from his possession a
few years later.
The property in question is situ-
ated on the ridge of hills between
Milanville on the east and Boyds
Mills on the west and comprises
about $50 acres much of which is
red shale and the major part of it
is under cultivation.
Mr.. Helms, the present owner,
bought the property merely to have
a place for a summer outing for him
self and family. He is man just
in the prime of life as years count.
For the past three years he has tax
en- different view and has been
taking a hand at farming" Fruit
trees has been'his hobby and of these
he has about 500 trees started and
intends to add more to the number
the coming spring. They are peach,
pear and apple, the latter being in
the majority. Nearly all of the old
fruit trees upon the place he has
cut down and dynamited out the
stumps.
His season on the farm" COM
mences about May 1st to the close OF
the farming season, but the family
come up later and return to the city
home earlier. You can find him in
, working hours with sleeves rolled
above his elbows, arms and face as
brown as a chestnut in the heat OF
all the work. He is not obliged tc
: do this, but does so from choice
Last spring he conceived the idea
that he ought to "do something" anG
to this end started with planting Al
barrels of potatoes, a quantity o.
pea-beans, and sowed a few acres O.
: buckwheat. Here is what he reports
harvested 1900 bushels of salablC
tubers, besides the rotten ones ant
: those of undersize; "a bushels of thu
pea-beans and 10S bushels of buck
L wheat. What he raises on his farm
all goes into the city consumer;
, hands direct. He raises and ship
to his Brooklyn store, many crate
of string beans besides what is com
monty called garden truck. Hi
fruit also goes to the consumer il
the city from first hands. 1t is hi
;Y,fo Oh; 4,
2 passed the school age, to spend th
l entire time from early spring to lat
fall at his country seat. He is wha
1 people would call "well heeled," il
the city and has accumulated it al
e by the same dint that he manifest
4 here on the farm. His family con
e sists of a wife and four daughters
4 The store is in a residential part o
the city near st. Marks avenue, tn
" finest and wealthiest thoroughfare il
the whole "City of Churches" MI
Helms has the city agency for tn
: celebrated king Arthur" flour
S About three years ago Mr.. Helm
$ sold fifteen acres of land to a cit
: friend, Herman Haase, who came t
e spend the summer at Helms Hill. MI
: Haase has built a fine residence an,
q other out buildings upon this pur
S chase, and besides has purchased tn
e George H. Tyler property of over 10
e acres lying adjacent to his forme
i purchase. He, too, is a fruit fanati
+ and has an orchard of 1900 youn
! apple trees of standard varietie
e started. At his reidsence he had
e well drilled $50 feet and erected
e windmill for motive power to opeI
5 ate the pump. Mr.. Haase is also
j grocer in Brooklyn with a store nea
u Fort Green Park.
y