Belvedere Farm has existed for over two hundred years. In that time, there have been a lot of changes. But through all the changes, there have also been some steady constants. And for those of us who have been connected to Belvedere in the past two decades, two steady constants have been Bill and Edie. The next two newsletters are in celebration of these two legends.
Part One: Mr. Bill
Bill and Beth, enjoying a happy moment on the farmhouse porch.
Bill turned 86 last week, which means he’s been farming for 77 years. He first started working on the farm at the age of nine when he was tasked with driving the truck during hay baling season. Driving farm equipment suited him, and over the years, he cultivated a deep love of tractor work. His skill at tractor work is indisputable—there is still no one better at steering the finicky transplanter, or backing up the various implements.
That is not to say he hasn’t taught us well. One of Bill’s greatest gifts is his generosity in sharing with others all that he’s learned over the years. Bill taught us nearly everything we know, and—not to boast, but—it’s a lot. Bill has taught us so much. In addition to teaching us how to drive the tractors, one of his enduring lessons is what we appreciatively refer to as the “Bill method”: whenever we try something new with a crop, we employ the new technique to just half of what we do…and keep doing what we know with the other half. This way, if the new technique is a flop, we won’t lose the entire crop. (Thanks, Bill!) It also ensures that if the new technique isn’t a flop, we have a solid control for comparative purposes. Bill is not only an excellent farmer…he is also an excellent scientist. This tracks, given that in addition to being a farmer, Bill worked as a statistician for the U.S. Census Bureau for over thirty years.
Mr. Bill, Harford County Farm Bureau’s 2023 Farmer of the Year
Another gift is his quiet but enduring sense of humor. He enjoys making us smile, which sometimes involves driving one of the golf carts up to the fields during morning harvest and cheekily inquiring if if there is a coffee shop nearby. (There is not, but it’s not a bad idea!) He usually makes these rounds with his favorite golf cart, aka the one he’s adorned with a fancy Lexus logo he once found on the side of the road.
But perhaps what we love most about Bill is his perpetual gratitude. At the end of the day, without fail, Bill always makes sure to say ‘thank you.’ The best thing is, he means it. Every time.