To stay competitive in the fruit industry, some get larger to achieve economies of scale. Others, like one western New York State producer, find ways to reach the consumer directly while focusing on being more efficient. Darrel Oakes of LynOaken Farms in Lyndonville, New York, is using a variety of ways to improve the family business’s bottom line—delivering fresh apples and cider for sale in about 20 retail stores, running a U-pick operation and two fruit stands, and soon, selling wines and hard cider from their own winery. LynOaken Farms comprises 230 acres of apples, 70 acres of tart cherries, […]