New Hampshire farm owners say business still good despite inflation
Owners say rising costs led to small price hikes
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Updated: 5:42 PM EDT Oct 6, 2022
RAISE PRICES 10% DUE TO INFLATION. ALL RIGHT, CHUCK, WHAT ARE WE PICKING TODAY HERE? WELL, PICKING SOME LINES HERE TODAY. CORTLAND APPLES. AND THIS IS LIKE PRIME ONE TIME, I THINK. I THINK I DID THIS WAY WRONG. AND I’M SORRY ABOUT THAT. THAT’S ALL RIGHT. SO YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS MANY YEARS HERE. OH, GOSH. 40 PLUS. YOU’VE SEEN THE MARKET GO UP AND DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS. MANY TIMES. HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT? THIS ECONOMY. THE BIG DIFFERENCE THIS YEAR WAS IT WAS THE ECONOMY AND THE IMPORTS THAT WE HAD TO PUT IN UPFRONT MADE IT JUST REAL DIFFICULT FOR US TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PRICE OUR PRODUCTS. AND WE DID FINALLY END UP RAISING PRICES, BUT COMPARING THE GROCERY PRICES, NOT THAT MUCH. AND CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN REALLY ACCEPTING OF THAT AND THEY’RE JUST HERE HAVING GOOD TIME. WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS? HOW MUCH MORE ARE CONSUMERS PAYING? YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE BOARD, WE FIGURE RAISE PRICES ABOUT 10%, SOME THINGS A LITTLE MORE, SOME LESS. BUT IF YOU LOOK, GROCERY PRICES, YOU KNOW, THEY’VE GONE UP 14 TO 20%. HAS IT AFFECTED YOUR BUSINESS? BECAUSE THE PARKING LOT SURE SEEMED FULL HERE ON A THURSDAY AFTERNOON. I’M GOING TO SAY NO THAT THIS LOCAL, LOCAL THING HAS BEEN GREAT FOR US AND CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN COMING. THEY UNDERSTAND WHY ARE AND IT’S BEEN GOOD GOOD YEAR OVERALL EVEN INFLATION. YES. AND THE FALL IS. YEAH. WE’RE HAPPY. WEATHER KEEPS UP FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF WEEKENDS FOR THE PICK YOUR OWN THING. THAT’LL BE GREAT. AWESOME. IS THIS ENOUGH OF A PIE? YEAH, YOU CAN DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, CHUCK. OKAY. APPRECIATE IT. THAT WAS FUN. ONE OTHER THING AFFECTING BUSINESS, THOUGH. THEY’RE BUSY ON WEEKENDS, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, EXCEPT WHEN THE PATR
New Hampshire farm owners say business still good despite inflation
Owners say rising costs led to small price hikes
![WMUR logo]()
Updated: 5:42 PM EDT Oct 6, 2022
Inflation has meant a slowdown for many businesses in New Hampshire, but it doesn't not appear to be affecting farms that offer experiences like apple and pumpkin picking.At Apple Hill Farm in Concord, owners Chuck and Diane Souther have 55 acres of fruit trees and crops. They have been in business since 1978 and said they have seen the ups and down of the economy many times over.The Southers said many of their costs have increased three times, and while they had to raise prices, they said they didn't have to hike them by much."The inputs that we had up front made it difficult for us to figure out how to price our products," Chuck Southern said. "We did finally end up raising prices, but comparing the grocery prices, not that much. The consumers have been accepting of that, and they are here having a good time."The Southers said they raised prices by about 10%, and businesses was still up 30% in July and August.
CONCORD, N.H. — Inflation has meant a slowdown for many businesses in New Hampshire, but it doesn't not appear to be affecting farms that offer experiences like apple and pumpkin picking.
At Apple Hill Farm in Concord, owners Chuck and Diane Souther have 55 acres of fruit trees and crops. They have been in business since 1978 and said they have seen the ups and down of the economy many times over.
The Southers said many of their costs have increased three times, and while they had to raise prices, they said they didn't have to hike them by much.
"The inputs that we had up front made it difficult for us to figure out how to price our products," Chuck Southern said. "We did finally end up raising prices, but comparing the grocery prices, not that much. The consumers have been accepting of that, and they are here having a good time."
The Southers said they raised prices by about 10%, and businesses was still up 30% in July and August.
