Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/418083
DECEMBER 2014 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com Fred explained. "And it's grown logarithmically. We're packing half a million boxes of Bartletts now." Packing begins in mid-August with Bartlett and Starkrimson pears. The last of the winter pears are shipped by late May or early June. Last season Duckwall packed a record 2.4 million boxes of pears. This year's crop was expected to be down by about 5 percent, but still the second largest volume ever. The company, which represents 75 growers, is among the largest pear packers in the Northwest. So what's behind the company's success? PHOTOS BY TJ MULLINAX 'XFNZDOO)UXLWKDVDUXEEHUGXFNIRUHDFKJURZHU7KH\DUHSODFHGLQWKH½XPHVWRLGHQWLI\JURZHUORWV DUCKWALLS show dedication I ndustry and community service is a tradition in the Duckwall family and part of the company's mission. John Duckwall was on the board of trustees when the Northwest Horticultural Council was incorporated in 1947. His son Dick took his place as the representative for Hood River, Oregon, serving on the board for 48 years. John's younger son, Fred, took Dick's place. All three chaired the board. "He's a great guy," Hort Council President Chris Schlect said of Fred, who is still a board member. "He's very, very focused on doing what's best for the entire industry, and he does it in a manner that's very effective. He's not shy about expressing his views, and he will argue until the right solution is presented." Dick Duckwall served on pear industry committees for 40 years, starting in 1955, and was chair of the Pear Bureau Northwest in 1980-1982. He chaired its export committee for several years. Fred has been a trustee or director of the Pear Bureau since 1997 and served continuously on other pear-industry committees since 1977. Dick's grandson Ed Weathers has served on the Pear Bureau's export committee for the past five years. — G. Warner 3LFWXUHGIURPULJKWDUH)UHG'XFNZDOOVRQ1DWKDQ'XFNZDOOGDXJKWHU 6DUD'XFNZDOO6Q\GHUDQGJUHDWQHSKHZ(G:HDWKHUV "If you tell the buyer what you're going to do, you'd better stand behind it and make sure the product meets their expectations." —Fred Duckwall