Riley's Handy Store

Riley’s Handy Store

In the 1950s brother Chuck and I would frequently ride bikes to "Riley’s Handy Store". Down Adkin hill turn west, and go past Grampa Bill and Gramma Edna’s farm on the dusty gravel roads. The trip was always very rewarding. Topps baseball cards, candy bars, “Arctic” Ice Cream cones for a nickel and pop from the open water cooler with a block of ice. Riley's was a 1950s Wal-Mart in our eyes.

Riley's was at the NE corner of Leisure. On the SW corner was the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) Church, Church Parsonage and the Township Fire Station. A Community Hall was across the street to the north. Relationships were built and business deals negotiated at these Leisure gathering placed. The Casco Band practiced in the hall. Fire fighters met and the Ladies Aid dinners were served. The Casco Softball Team played games behind Riley’s Store and on special occasions a free outdoor movie was shown on the backside of the store. FYI, "Casco" is the name of the Township in the SW corner of Allegan County. The church services and activities provided a strong spiritual foundation for this self-contained rural community. The buildings are gone but fond memories remain.

"The store" was our connection to the outside world. During the 1920s and 1930s my distant cousin Riley (everyone was related) dramatically changed the way people lived their lives. The home making of bread, cakes and cookies declined. Eggs, milk and meats could all be found at the store. Why raise your own? He served the shopping needs of us kids, the farmers and the household. During the subsistence days of farming most everything you needed was raised on your farm or you bartered with your neighbors. In a future blog I will take us back to 1880 and explain why Henry Overhiser and Sam Leisure built the store.



At the Farm (April 15) - Planting New Trees
Tree trimming continues and new dormant fruit trees are being planted. Peach and sour cherry trees have the shortest productive life and are planted most every year. This year Allan will be planting 500 early cling stone peach trees, about 300 other peach trees and 200 sweet cherry trees. It will be five years or more before these become productive producers. The trees are trimmed to have a single, upright trunk with well spaced, spreading side branches. This will result in a cone shaped tree so the upper branches don't shade out the lower branches.

New peach varieties are being developed every year. The old favorite "Red Haven" was developed at the South Haven MSU Experiment Station led by Stanley Johnston. Many of us mature peach lovers prefer the Red Haven. That may be because it brings back childhood memories. I must admit, some of the newer peach varieties are better than good old "Red".

The red buds are thickening at the end of the branches signaling the coming of a whole new world -SPRING! Watch the parade from bud to blossom to fruit to harvest. The cherry blossoms have come and gone in DC, what about the farm? Most years blossoms start opening the last week of April or the first week of May and last for 1 to 2 weeks. This is the order: first sweet cherries, then peaches, tart cherries, plums, pears and finally apples. If you are in the South Haven area check the farm at 109th ave and 64th street. Below is a photo of Allan examining peach buds. They look OK so far. Enjoy your spring blooms.
Eat fruit today!