Shanesville Fruit Farm in Earl Township has been driving local change with their delicious fruit fruits. More and more folks both locally and in NYC are becoming more health-conscious and are choosing just picked, locally grown fruit. The fruit farm has been in the Spencer family for over 86 years and they have been selling fruit from their roadside farm stand since the beginning. Acres of orchards are the backbone of the farm. The family grows peach, apple, pear, plum, nectarine, and apricot trees. The secret to their success, Spencer says, is that Berks County has excellent soil for fruit trees. Their central Pennsylvania location is also perfect for many crops. “If you go south in the state, it’s not good for apples, and if you go north, it’s too cold for peaches,” Spencer said. “We’re in a little niche area where crops really do well.”