A reporter (Gina Kaufmann) interviewed me for a local NPR radio station. It’s mostly how I got started growing peaches. The reporter seemed more interested in my story vs. how to grow peaches, which is the part which most interests me (namely, how to grow peaches). I think her interests are more the human side of things, hence all the personal information in the story. Her column is called "Real Humans by Gina Kaufmann. If interested, here is a link to the article with the audio pretty much matching the write up. It aired today.
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Gina did a nice job telling you story Mark. 
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nice interview and story.
never knew you came back from such a hard and painful place. That takes resilience!
here’s hoping on a better winter next year. Just like you, those tree’s are resilient. If it doesn’t kill them, there’s always next year 
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Mark,
Glad you posted this interview here. Truly admire your resilience and determination. I have a lot of love and respect for your wife as well. What a true life partner you have!!
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@Olpea ! I can’t wait to listen to this! I will wait till my husband gets home to listen together . . . I know he will be very interested too. 
Thanks PomGranny. Some of the details got mixed up I guess. I’m only 6-2", not 6-3". And we started selling our first fruits in 2009, but planted our first peaches in 2004.
Those are minor details, but easy to get mixed up.
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Mark,
When I was in my mid twenties, I was working as a carpenter and dreamed to be a builder. But I to had a reoccurring bad back that would put me out of commission for weeks. It was a kick start to go back to school to get my engineering degree. Funny how a “forced life change” can be such a good move. I assume you don’t miss pig farming, I grew up on a pig farm…
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Hi Paddy,
It’s an interesting thought. I loved the pig farm (not the smell so much). We invested so much of our lives to build it. In the first year I worked over 100 hrs. per week. I slept 5 hrs/night. I remember one night that first year, I was able to sleep 7 hrs. The next day I felt so refreshed, lol. For the years after I only had to work about 75 hrs. per week.
I mention this to try to explain a little bit of the sacrifice it took us to build that business. I’m sure lot’s of folks who start businesses do the same. So, when the business becomes successful mostly because of the sheer willpower and sacrifice (and a little luck) the loss of it can’t really be explained with words. You can almost force an outcome by your will if you are willing to sacrifice so much. Then once the dream is attained, it can be burned up almost instantly by a debilitating health condition.
That’s the bad part. The good part is that had we stayed there, I’m pretty sure my daughter never would have realized her dream of being a surgeon. The school system we moved to prepared her in a special way for her dream.
I’m not saying I’m glad for the adversity I went through. But I can see some good things which came from it. That’s how life is, imo. For most people there are some good things and some bad things which come from living life.
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Mark,
Running a farm is hard enough but starting one is a huge challenge few can imagine. Our family had to give up farming after my father died of histoplasmosis, its carried by barn pigeons. He was just 32 years old in 1965 and left my mother with 7 kids. My mother had true grit like you and rebuilt her life. All 7 kids earned college degrees and built happy lives.
We still have the 100 ac and it been leased all these years. Just recently the barn was raised for a road expansion. each of us got a pc of the barn wood as a reminder of the farm days.
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Really enjoyed the NPR interview! Great job
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