THE VANWAGONERS
Chapter 5
OF FLYNN VALLEY
By: Clement VanWagoner
 Dad did raise a lot of strawberries and raspberries. After a few trips to town with fruit, Dad turned this job over to me. I used
to take the rear seat out of the Chrysler and fill the area with crates of berries. I would go to Bay City and Saginaw markets,
also to Alpena, Mio, West Branch, and Grayling to sell berries. I was always able to sell them, I never had to bring any of
them home. We picked and sold a lot of berries, many bushels, Mother also canned some. Dad would even let me go to
market alone. We never had a flat tire to interfere with the job. This was a wonderful lesson for me. One time when my Dad
and I took a load of berries to Alpena on a Saturday, we found the stores loaded with berries. Other fruit growers had picked
the same day. So I asked my Dad what we should do. He said, we will hurt them. So we drove into the residential area and
he and I went from door to door to sell the berries. I remember going to one of the homes in Alpena, rapping on the door and
when the door opened, I said to the lady we have berries to sell for 8 cents per quart. She said, “They look nice, but I can’t
afford to buy any.” So I left. When I was out to the street, she hollered to me and said would I sell three quarts for a quarter.
I said yes and made the sale. I couldn’t wait until I got back to my dad and told him what had happened. I thought he would go into orbit, because he laughed so hard!
We always had lots of strawberries and in season we literally lived on strawberry shortcake. I still like Soda biscuits.
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