Apple industry leader in hall of fame | News

Lowe is known for saying his greatest accomplishment was passing on to his children the love of growing apples that his father instilled in him.

He was recognized for this and for being a leader in his chosen profession during the induction event at the Wilkes Agricultural Center in Wilkesboro.

Lowe has a love for the land and “lives his life in the apple orchards,” said Dr. Bill Davis, chairman of the Wilkes Agricultural Hall of Fame board.

“He works in the orchards. He spends time with his children. He praises God throughout the year and lives each day thankful for another day in the apple orchards.”

Lowe graduated summa cum laude with a degree in horticulture from North Carolina State University “and was blessed with professors who continued to be friends and advisors in the orchard,” said Davis.

With what he learned “and a willingness to give many hours of hard work, he has made many contributions to agriculture” and has tried to stay on the cutting edge of technology.

Davis said that in 1993, Lowe was among the first to begin planting all new orchard plantings on trellis systems, which includes planting dwarf trees. This put trees into production sooner, increases yield and quality, makes harvest easier and allows more trees in a given area.

Davis said Lowe continuously introduces new apple varieties and was among the first in the area to plant Fuji and Pink Lady apple trees, while still producing old varieties such limber twig and Stayman. “Pink Lady apples were instrumental in changing the apple industry in our area during some uncertain times,” wrote Katrina Lowe in the narrative in which she nominated her husband for the hall of fame.

Under his management, the 120-acre orchard operation in the Brushy Mountains was expanded from 20,000 to 40,000 apple trees and from four to over 30 varieties.

Davis noted that Lowe pasteurizes his apple cider rather than having it done elsewhere. He designed and built a dehydrator and sells dried apples throughout the state.

Lowe developed a “point of sale” computer sales program and was among the first area growers to design and implement a website. Perry Lowe Orchards has been part of the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival for many years.

Lowe served three terms as president of the N.C. Apple Growers Association, as well as vice president and eight years as a board member. He was given an honorary lifetime membership in 1986. The association named him grower of the year in 2001. Lowe is also active in the N.C. Farm Bureau.

Davis said Lowe is known for his willingness to share information with other growers. Lowe participated in the International Apple Institute, which promote international exchange of information.

He said Lowe works closely with the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce to promote agritourism. Perry Lowe Orchards provides apple tours to thousands of students and their families each year. Lowe designed and planted an orchard just for tour and planted trees to provide an orchard maze.

Like his father, Lowe works with N.C. State by providing land for test plots. He has an advanced weather station and provides weather data that helps the university with research. For many years, he has worked with local extension agents to implement Integrated Pest Management to use chemicals more efficiently.

Dr. Mike Parker, associate professor and extension specialist in horticulture at North Carolina State University, psaid Lowe was on the NCSU dean’s list every semester except one. He recognized Lowe for his service to others through his involvement in the N.C. Apple Growers Association and similar endeavors.

Parker said being an orchardist requires perseverance because “tree fruit production is one of the hardest crops to deal with. You’ve got one shot at that crop” and it can be lost to frost, a freeze or hail. “You’ve got another 18 months before you can pick again.” He said Lowe has demonstrated perseverance.

Lowe graduated from N.C. State and returned to Wilkes to work for his father, Perry Lowe Jr., in 1985. That same year, the Lowe apple crop suffered a devastating hail storm and Lowe went to work elsewhere as his father suggested. He returned to working for his father about two years later when asked.

About two years after that (in September 1989), the Lowe apple crop and hundreds of their apple trees were destroyed by remnants of Hurricane Hugo.

In 1990, Lowe’s father died unexpectedly and he became a partner in the business with his mother, Shirley Clark Lowe.

“Despite all these devastating moments happening back-to-back, Ty persevered and stayed in the apple industry,” enduring damaging freezes, hail storms, droughts and labor shortages, said Katrina Lowe in the nomination narrative.

She said Lowe worked through having a stroke in 2020 and remains very active in the family business. Family members said he is the “face” of the retail store and source of knowledge for all apple-related questions.

The three of their four children working in the family business took on more responsibility after Lowe had a stroke.

Son Perry Lowe IV is general manager of all operations. Daughter Jessica Lowe Adams manages marketing and oversees retail store sales. Her husband, Eric Adams, manages post-harvest sales. Son Matthew Lowe helps in all retail sales and processing of apples.

Daughter Jessica Lowe, the youngest, is a student at N.C. State University and helps during summer break.

Wilkes Soil & Water Conservation District Director Robert Baldwin said the Lowe family is the quintessential family farm. District officials coordinate the hall of fame process.

Perry Lowe IV said he has watched his father work tirelessly all his life and believes he deserves being inducted into the hall of fame.

Ty Lowe shared a few comments, including thanking various relatives and others for their help over the years. He spoke about the beauty of the land where he and his family live and work.

Lowe said he didn’t know his grandfather Perry Lowe Sr. well because he was young when he died, “but people always told me that he was known for saying, ‘If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say anything at all.’ And that always stuck with me.”

Lowe said his grandfather Clark in Millers Creek also was an orchardist “and had the cleanest orchard I ever saw.” Lowe said he has always remembered his grandfather Clark’s incredible work ethic.

He said he had to thank his wife, Katrina Lowe, especially for standing by him during the tough years.

“Most importantly I have to thank God for giving me the opportunity to farm the land that I live on…. And He has been faithful through the storms and the good times,” said Lowe.