Farm Name: Apples on Oak
Farm Location: Homer Township, Illinois
Names of Farmers: Larry and Mary Peceniak
Farm Size: 10 acres: 4 acres with 800+ trees and 5 acres in hay
Year Established: 2002
Number of Years Farming: 30 (23 hobby, 7 full time)
Products: Apples, Asian pears, honey, and hay
Farm Contact Information: applesonoak@aol.com or applesonoak.com
Why did you begin farming?
I have been grafting apple trees since I graduated from college in 1976. I have always been intrigued by being able to grow and eat the exact same apple and pear varieties that our forefathers did 200+ years ago. I feel it is important to keep these old varieties alive in our monoculture world.
What is the biggest hurdle you have overcome?
Finding a way to ward off pests without the use of expensive, toxic, addicting chemicals.
What do you most enjoy about farming?
Farming is a constant challenge. Mother nature is always throwing curve balls at you. Researching the answers to the problems that arise every growing season is what makes farming so fascinating. It is very rewarding when you find a solution to a problem without the use of toxic chemicals. Also, it is a way for our farm to store carbon in the soil to help climate change.
What is your biggest current challenge?
Our greatest challenge—for all of us—is climate change. That is why for the past ten-plus years we have incorporated biochar, increased soil organic matter and the introduced South Korean JADAM methods into our farming practices.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received about farming?
If you are going to try something new, do not do it on your whole operation. Start on a small section and increase or decrease as results dictate. Also, every action has an effect on the whole system.
