TRANSCRIPT

Interview with Bob Arkell of Arkell Foods - Bob Describes his Experience Working with Farmers

My biggest enjoyment years back, was going out to the fruit farmers in March and April and contracting the fruit with the farmers for the season. That was the most joy that I had because the farmers were the kind of people that you can work with, talk to, they understood your problems and if they didn't they would try to work around you. But if you had a break down in the plant and they missed a load of fruit, they weren't going to condemn you for it, they worked around you. I mean, they might lose that load of fruit, too you know and it would go to rot. And you felt sort of committed, they were family to you. And I mean I can remember, there were some farms, sure there were many farmers that I didn't get along with or Canadian Canners people, or there were many that were Arkell people or E.D. Smith people. But then again, that was the most joyous part of my life.