>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO CONNECTING POINT.
I'M JIM MADIGAN.
JESSE RICE OPENED HIS FARM STAND IN WILBRAHAM IN THE LATE
1800s, AND FOR NEARLY A CENTURY TOWN RESIDENTS FLOCKED
THERE FOR FRESH PRODUCE AND THE DELICIOUS BAKED GOODS FOR WHICH
IT BECAME FAMOUS, A FAMILY FAVORITE FOR MANY IN THE AREA,
RICE'S CLOSED AFTER MANY YEARS AND THE LOSS WAS LAMENTED BY
MANY BUT NOW THE MALOIN FAMILY HAS GIVEN THE FARM STAND A NEW
LEASE ON LIFE.
PRODUCERS CAROLEE MCGRATH AND DAVE FRASER AND VIDEOGRAPHER
MARC RHINEHART SHARE THE STORY OF RICE FRUIT FARM.
>> YOU WALK UP THE RAMP, AND YOU WILL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE RICE'S
FRUIT FARM, 200 FEET.
>> I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF MEMORIES FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT COME IN HERE.
WE DID CHANGE THE NAME.
WE KEPT THE FIELD THE SAME.
I HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUT OF TOWN OR HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN
YEARS, AND THEY COME IN AND THEY ARE REALLY APPRECIATIVE.
I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF EXPECTATIONS FOR US, AND I
HOPEFULLY MET THEM.
>> SO WE'RE STANDING RIGHT NOW IN THE FRONT OF THE FARM STAND.
THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1924.
IT WAS A BUNCH OF GARAGE DOORS, COLD IN THE WINTER, HOT IN THE
SUMMER, SO WE HAD TO INSULATE IT AND SECURE IT AND PUT IN WINDOWS
AND -- >> IT NEEDED A LOT OF WORK.
>> IT WAS ROUGH, AS THE PROJECT PROGRESSED, WE FELT LIKE WE WERE
ACTUALLY STARTING TO MAKE IT INTENDED TO.
WE WANTED IT TO BE SOME PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY COULD BE
PROUD OF, BUT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE STAND ITSELF,
A LOT OF RE-PURPOSED MATERIALS, EVEN THINGS THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE
FOR THE EYE, LIKE THE WOOD THAT WE USE TO MAKE THE CART AND THE
FLOORS AND EVERYTHING WAS RE-PURPOSED WHENEVER PRACTICAL.
I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS FROM UNTOWN, AND THERE IS TONS OF
SIGNAGE AND ALL OF THAT STUFF THAT PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT TO ME
IN THE COMMUNITY.
I WAS TRYING TO SHOWCASE IT A BIT AT A TIME.
I THINK THAT WE'RE BARELY OPEN.
THIS IS BIGGER THAN I EXPECTED.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD TAKE TIME TO GET TO THAT POINT.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT MORE TO OFFER.
HOPEFULLY THIS FALL WE'LL DO -- MAKE SOME OF OUR OWN CIDER AGAIN
WITH THE PEACHES AND THE APPLES FROM THE MOUNTAIN, AND ALSO
CARRY SOME OF THE PRODUCE LIKE WE USED TO.
>> THIS WAS, ACTUALLY, A ROAD SIGN DOWN THE ROAD AT THE CORNER
OF MAIN, WELCOMING PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH WILBRAHAM TO FIND
US DOWN THE ROAD.
WE HAVE IT UP HERE IN OUR ICE CREAM AREA.
ACTUALLY WHILE WE WERE BUILDING OUR ICE CREAM AREA THERE WAS A
CRAWL SPACE, AND WE HAD TO CLEAN IT OUT TO POUR THE CONCRETE, AND
I FOUND IT BURIED UNDER AN INCH OR TWO OF DIRT UPSIDE DOWN, SO
WE PULLED IT OUT, AND VOILA WE HAVE A CENTERPIECE HERE THAT
KIND OF IS ACTUALLY OUR COOLEST SIGN, I THINK.
>> WE HAVE OUR MUFFIN TOPS, MADE THE SAME WAY, THE SAME OLD
DOUGHNUT MACHINE MAKING THE DOUGHNUTS EVERY DAY, AND WE
BROUGHT IN OUR HOMEMADE ICE CREAM THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH
FROM THE OTHER BUSINESS.
SO IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING FOR US.
>> WE DESIGNED THIS TO BE THE 1920s STYLE.
REMEMBER THE BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1924, SO WE TRIED TO CARRY ON
THAT WITH THE COLORS AND THE MARBLE TOP HERE.
WE HAVE THIS CASH REGISTER, BRASS PLACE THAT WE PUT UP, AND
THIS IS ONE OF OUR ICE CREAM EXPERTS OVER HERE, AND SHE HAS
ONE OF OUR SPECIALTY FLAVORS, COOKIE MONSTER, MADE RIGHT HERE
AT THE FARM.
WE DESIGNED OUR ICE CREAM PARLOR TO HAVE THE 1920'S FEEL, WE FELT
IT WAS ONLY RIGHT THAT WE BRING IN A 1920'S STYLE LOVE TESTER,
AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THIS VERY SCIENTIFIC, SO HOPEFULLY I DON'T
DO TOO BAD.
WE'RE GOING TO TEST MY LOVE LEVEL.
>> I HAD TO COME IN MYSELF AS A CUSTOMER PRIOR TO IT CLOSING
DOWN, AND I HAD AN IDEA OF MAYBE WHAT IT MEANT FOR THE PEOPLE IN
TOWN, AND IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT I REALLY WASN'T PREPARED FOR THE
AMOUNT OF SUPPORT, AND ACTUALLY I THINK HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO THE
PEOPLE THAT USED TO COME HERE.
>> IT FILLS A VOID, I THINK, IN THIS SECTION OF TOWN, WE'RE NOT
NEAR BOSTON ROAD, AND WE HAVE OUR REGULAR CUSTOMERS FOR SURE.
THE KIDS COME AFTER SCHOOL AND ON A HALF DAY, SO IT'S GOOD, A
FAMILY PLACE.
I TREAT IT AS A STEWARD FOR THE PLACE.
>> I KIND OF CARRIED ON THE TRADITION.
IT'S A LITTLE SLICE OF AMERICANA