The History of Chesterfield, New Hampshire


 

October 11, 2000
Oak Glen, California

Dear Friends and Family,

We get so many kind and supportive letters from our customers--literally so many we have a hard time responding to all of them--that it is with some degree of trepidation I reproduce the following letter from a disgruntled Oak Glen guest:

"Just a note to let you know that our family and guests came up this past weekend to visit Riley's, stock up on our apple needs and have some fun...What did we find???  People at your north parking area that were screaming something at the passing cars going along the county highway... and a #3.00 (sic) charge just to park!!!   We of course kept going, commented on how Riley's has changed and NOT for the good, Got all of our apple needs at Snow Line, and talked about how it will be a long time before we return, and got the #$!^ outa Dodge. We spent the remainder of the day antiquing down the hill. Your local antique business folk all said that it keeps getting worse up there and were also appaled (sic) when hearing of your parking charge.  See ya, On second thought, no we won't."

A few comments:   the fall apple harvest draws so many guests to Oak Glen, that we have had trouble managing parking here for years.   There is a limited amount of flat space up here on the mountain and we want to keep that flat space looking like a farm, with orchards, corn fields, and pumpkin patches.    The corn, however, does not plant itself.  The apple trees do not prune or water themselves.    The weeds need pulling, the grass mowing, and the quaint, but inefficient dirt roads, need grading every year.

All of that costs money, and, yes, we need to charge for parking.    If we don't have paid staff available to manage the traffic, the parking itself becomes a hazard, with careless drivers blocking other guests from being able to move their vehicles.     In an emergency, a blocked road or vehicle can spell significant trouble.  As a result, we devote as many as six members of our staff just to direct traffic and shuttle customers around our farm via tractor-pulled hay rides.     Some of those customers--though thankfully not many--walk the farm, picnic, and leave their trash without buying a single apple.

The Riley family loves this land and we have come to cherish very close relationships with many of our customers.   We certainly don't mean to offend, but we simply can't afford to open our gates without charging something for it.   Frankly, we think a $1-3 parking charge for a day in the country is a bargain.   With so many farm families turning their land into tract homes, we think you will all agree that charging a little to see a working apple farm, is better than charging nothing to see a new suburban development.

Your humble servant,

James Riley

Don't Forget...

This year, over 10,000 school children  will take part in our Living History Field Trips.    Click here to make it 10,001!       The price is $12.00 per participant, with one free adult for every 15 students.      This includes lunch and four hours of participatory living history, covering either the American Revolution, Civil War, or Early California.

After an early March visit this year, a  fifth grade teacher from San Diego wrote us to say, "Thank you for the most wonderful field trip I have ever hosted for children.   Your knowledge of history, the authenticity of your facilities, the beauty of the surroundings, and the love of history that you shared with the students are very much appreciated." 

Thanks!  

Mark your calendars!   We look forward to visiting with you soon.

 Your Humble Servant,

James Riley

P.S. For the sake of those "web portals" constantly browsing the internet to update their search engines, we include the following boiler-plate. (Feel free to read this, if you're new to our site.)

Riley's Farm is a working apple orchard and living history farm in the Oak Glen area of Southern California. In addition to farming, we love history and we have provided a venue for re-enactment units comprising many different eras. The farm regularly hosts banquets, birthday parties, weddings, and office parties. Every year, literally thousands of students participate in one of our school tours, where they experience everything from weaving, candle-dipping, and cider pressing to the drill and muster of a Revolutionary War or Civil War battle. Our farm has appeared on the History Channel and in the recently released feature film, Amistad, as well as many other film and television productions. (We even try to get the producers to include us as on screen talent, but that's another story.) On selected weekends throughout the year, we offer "farm-stay" weekends, where families can experience--clothing, wood stoves, muskets, and all--the life of an 18th or 19th century American farmer. We grow sweet corn, apples, raspberries, pears, and sunflowers, just to mention a few of our crops. Our nephew, Devon, keeps some beautiful Belgian draft horses for country hay-rides. We love America--its traditions, its people, its history, and its cherished heritage of liberty in Christ. Have we said enough? Well, one more thing: In the fall, thousands of families make an annual pilgrimage to the farms of Oak Glen to experience the closest thing to a New England fall California has to offer. Why don't you stop by and say hello?

P.S.  Stay Clear of this "Cider House"

A Picture of the Riley Family

Contacting us via e-mail at: info@rileysfarm.com.

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Riley's Farm
12261 S. Oak Glen Road
Oak Glen, California 92399

(909) 797-7534

Riley's Farm, Copyright 1997-2000, All Rights Reserved