Chapman's Orchard owner Jim Crowell standing by his farm's sign. (Photo by Alan Stevens)

by Evening Sun Staff Writer Alan Stevens

OXFORD – Chapman's Orchard is a farm located by the countryside of Oxford, where various apple types are grown and maintained. The orchard has recently began to sell already picked apples and also lets people pick their own throughout the daylight hours. The season for apple picking runs until the end of October.

The orchard is owned by Jim Crowell, a former worker at IBM. Crowell has always had a passion for apples and the New York countryside.

Crowell began working at IBM during 1978. Crowell worked in Endicott and finished his career in Boulder, Colorado, after getting transferred to the state.

“I started off as an engineer and through the years, I progressed up into the management chain and I ended up being the director of software and electrical engineering.”

He managed printing presses created for printing high quality documents. Companies such as AT&T would buy the presses to print bills and invoices.

During 2013, before his retirement, Crowell bought the property near Oxford and began planting the apple orchards. He named it Chapman’s Orchard after his wife’s maiden name. Her family also shared the surname of John Chapman, the historical figure commonly referred to as Johnny Appleseed.

Crowell explained the farm's history.