6 • September 2017 • UPBEAT TIMES, INC. “For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case,


too early to be whoever you want to be. Tere’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make


the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you


feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you


have the courage to start all over again.” Eric Roth


The Walker Family Is Honored As Sonoma County’s Farm Family of the Year!


~ First Facts & Trivia ~


In 1924, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture boasted that 85% of U.S. mushrooms were grown in Pennsylvania. Today the state still accounts for more than 60% of U.S. mushroom production.


Earth is the third planet from the Sun and largest of the terrestrial planets.


Surprisingly, while it is only the fifth largest planet in terms of size and mass, it is the densest of all the planets. Earth is the only planet in the solar system not named after a


Graton, CA. ~ Lee Walker, 86, is a sixth generation apple farmer in Graton whose 50 acre apple farm epitomizes the term family business.Walker man- ages the farm alongside his son Lee Walker III, but around the property you will always find a handful of family members putting in their best effort on top of their day jobs to help the family business succeed. The family’s history and passion for Sonoma County agriculture has led them to be named as Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s Farm Family of the Year. The family was hon- ored on July 13th at Love of the Land alongside Farm Bureau’s two other award


recipients.


Jackson Family Wines will be receiving the Luther Burbank Conservation Award for their sustainability efforts in Sonoma


County and beyond while Earl and Dot Holtz will be inducted into the Farm Bureau Hall of Fame for their commitment to the local dairy industry. Walker’s family originally settled in Sonoma County in 1856, and the family owned land from Sebastopol to Santa Rosa which they paid 50 cents an acre for. Arthur Upp pur- chased the family’s 30acres on Upp Road in Graton in 1910. This orchard has been passed down through generations and the house that Upp built is still where Walker lives. Walker describes his fam- ily as being heavily involved in the business even though the rest of the family has their own jobs during the day. His son John recently weed-eated the orchards, his daughter Sue takes care of the shipping and


mythological being. Instead, its name is derived from the Old English word “ertha” and the Anglo-Saxon word “erda” which means ground or soil.


Lee III’s wife Barbara does the bookkeeping. The grandkids, great-grand kids and other fam- ily members can be found help- ing in the packing shed during harvest, and it was all hands on deck for the annual Graven- stein Apple Fair weekend. Although the family is often working long hours and two jobs,


their passion for what


they do is evident. Walker said his wife Shirley


was a main cog in the family business and kept it together before she passed away six years ago. He credits much of their success over the years to her. Some of their customers have been visiting the orchard for upwards of 35 years.


... continued on page 29


Fun World Dog Surfing Championships Video Sent to Us at Upbeat Times! Online Video!


DL Direct


Link


You Must Read the paper online to interact with these links, but you can also type them in your computer and they still work. Our interactive version of the Upbeat Times has become quite popular!


www.comfirstcu.org 6 • September 2017 • UPBEAT TIMES, INC. “In quoting others, we cite ourselves.” ~ Julio Cortázar


youtu.be/gXqCAiVzz3k youtu.be/IgWGodApLVs


surfdogchampionships.com


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