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Ninety-eight years ago, Phil Snow's grandfather immigrated to America from Austria, then worked in a bakery for a few years until he could afford to buy a farm in Easton. For nearly 10 decades, it's been in the family.
Today, Phil owns Snow's Farm, and his three children help to run it. Daughter Jenny and her husband help when they can, as does son Adam when he is in town. His other son, Irv, runs the business, waking up at 4:30 a.m. and not getting back home until 10 p.m.
"Farming is a lot of work, you've got to love it," Phil said. "Either you love it or you don't want anything to do with it."
Snow's Farm is the largest legal composting establishment in the state. Making this a focus of their business is beneficial to the farm. "We love the organic composting business," said Phil. "We're taking leaves that people don't want in the fall, and we compost them and sell them back that material in the spring as good compost."
Although they've got cows, donkeys, llamas, horses and beef cows, it's not for profit. "It's for the love of grazing them and watching them grow and have a calf that's exciting," said Phil, who said a farmer must work hard, be able to fix equipment and have good business sense. For the Snows, it's about keeping the farm in the family and doing what they love.
"If we wanted to make lots of money, we would develop this place and drink margaritas every afternoon, but it's not for us," he said. "My son works really hard, but he loves it, I can tell."
What is his secret to his family's success?
"I was taught if you get up in the morning, you'll make it in this country."
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