Meet someone special to us...

I opened the truck door again, the plastic tunnel covers torn to small pieces organized, wrapped and tied with string strongly but easy to loosen. Exactly like a gift. I went on my way the distance two hours far two hours back to throw the plastic bags to the recycling place. Yes this is it Ihsan*.  You see it in the way of making the cider, the canned peaches, the hard cider, the jams, the fruit itself and the intention with which it was grown and made.  Where you find Ihsan in something it will increase the beauty of it, where something lacks Ihsan it will appear less beautiful like a land dried from her water. Like most people when someone mentions farm you think of mud, I saw the stereotype as messy, disorganized living. But this changed after three years of me working here.  The stereotype is not necessarily a wrong thing. Farms need a lot of effort and time to care for the trees and the fruit and beyond that. It’s hard to focus on the other things, secondary things and from this comes mess and disorder. But here at Manoff’s the secondary things have the same amount of care from putting the effort and the time, like a mother trying to put fairness between her kids. If she wasn’t fair today, she will be fair tomorrow. 

I planted a new row of peach trees with Uncle Gary after cutting the old trees from that line. He said, “The age of these trees, 15 years, after that we cut them off. Where are you going to be after 15 years?” “I don’t know,” I said, (where’s the life going to take me, even if I went with a plan?) “15 years it’s a long time?” “No it goes faster than you think” he said as if realizing the time that had passed since planting the peaches 15 years ago. Maybe tomorrow I will replant a new line of peach trees and ask the same question of who’s with me. I know I’m lucky to work here in a place that has this beauty and workmanship; to also have the space to think of myself, maybe that is a gift from the land for who takes care of it, or maybe because the land doesn’t ask questions.

-Maher Al Azzeh dearest Chelsea’s husband.

 *Is an Arabic term meaning “beautification”, “perfection” or “excellence”. It is a matter of taking one’s inner faith and showing it in both deed and action. Ihsan, meaning "to do beautiful things", is one of the three dimensions of the Islamic religion: islam, iman and ihsan. In contrast to the emphases of islam (what one should do) and iman (why one should do), the concept of ihsan is primarily associated with intention.

Planting Apple Trees for hard Cider

Our favorite volunteer...

MEET MIRIAM!  One active lady!

Hi!  I’m Miriam Krantz.  

Working at Manoff Market and Cidery on Fridays is one of my happiest times.  Why? 

Because I get to see my favorite son, Gary, daughter-in-law, Amy, and two grandchildren, Michael & Chelsea, and Chelsea’s husband, Maher. 

Surrounded by the natural beauty, I’ve watched their business grow from taking vegetables to the Doylestown Farmers’ Market on Saturdays to a store filled with delicious fruits, vegetables, beautifully arranged flowers and flavorful hard cider.

I get to see the intricacies of running a small business which, a year ago, added an additional business.  Amy is in charge of many departments: Accounting, Advertising, Customer Service, Gift Baskets, Human Resources, Marketing, Payroll, Production, Purchasing, Quality Control, Sales, Shipping, Tech Support, etc. Gary is also in charge of many departments:  Buildings, Cider Production, Equipment Maintenance, Harvesting, Procurement, Planting, Product Quality Control, Pruning, Research, Staffing, Weather Monitoring, etc.

I am just in awe of their individual and combined strengths!!!

Now about me.  I was born in Buffalo NY and have lived in Bucks County since the early 1970s. First in Buckingham, then New Hope, then Warrington and, last year, I moved to Pine Run in Doylestown.  My first husband, Mike, was the father of my three children, Linda, Gary, and Michelle. I remarried to a wonderful man, Joe, who sadly died from Leukemia in 2006. I have been blessed with a wonderful family.  In addition to my children, I have two sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, five step children, nine grandchildren, five grandchildren-in law, four step grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. I have a BA degree in Mathematics from the University of Delaware and worked at Educational Testing Service in their IT department for 23 years.  I retired in 1999. I also volunteer at Doylestown Hospital, currently at the Outpatient MRI and formerly at the Gift Shop and also at the Outpatient Infusion Center. When I lived in Legacy Oaks, I was active in the community as a committee chair and board member. I am currently getting involved in some Pine Run activities.

Now back to the farm where I work on various projects which are assigned as needed. However my most important and rewarding job is providing excellent customer service.  I especially enjoy watching children with peach juice dripping down their faces as they go out to play on the swings. I enjoy sharing customers’ happy news of a marriage or new child and just listening when a customer wants to share one of life’s sadder moments.  Mostly, just being in a place surrounded by so much of nature’s beauty makes me happy.

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Who's working on the farm? Let's get to know those people behind the counter....

Meet Patty… a local “lifer”, born and raised just a mile down the road. 

"I started my journey here in New Hope, married, moved, lived & worked in other countries with my husband, Brian and our 4 children; I’m now back in my ‘homeland’.   I grew up in a hardworking, middle class family, under the premise, ‘you don’t work… you don’t eat.’  Our family is accustomed to work with our hands.   At the age of 13 my parents helped me start my own pachysandra farm.  Taking what God already had given us, we learned how to multiply it and provide for my need of a college education and beyond.  That was 45 years ago and it’s still going.  When the need arose for me to work outside the home (once our last child was high school age) I looked around for part time work.  I wanted it to be meaningful, where I could interact with people, and yet be flexible.  At Manoff Market Gardens I found all three.   The beauty of the surroundings, the blessing of being with hardworking people, and the amazing quality food they grow and sell makes for that winning combination.  We were born into a world that needs tending, and I am thankful I can do my part in this corner of the world!  Stop on by and see what I mean!”

Meet Katie & Family

“Hi, my name is Katie and I have worked at Manoff’s for six years.  My hobbies include reading, baking, gardening and knitting.  I grew up in Titusville, went to school in Virginia, worked abroad and then landed in Bucks County.  A decade ago when I was working at Farley’s Bookshop I met my future husband Buffy.  He is the baker behind Freedom Creek Bread which you can find at the farm freshly baked in a wood-fired brick oven.  We interned together at an organic CSA where we began our journey into farming and agriculture.  Then I worked at Milk House Farm Market where I gained experience in the market and customer service aspect of farming.  After bouncing around a little bit more I found a home at Manoff’s where I am lucky to eat the best fruit I have ever tasted.  My daughter Paige has also been working with me at the farm since she was a baby.  She is in charge of quality control so you can find her tasting all the fruits.  Amy and Gary are talented, knowledgeable, generous and flexible.  I am grateful to work at such a wonderful place where I am constantly learning, interacting with good people and surrounded by nature’s beauty and bounty.  What’s not to love?