Business & Tech

Cashman 'Just Waiting for the Hammer to Drop'

Jeff Cashman is still hoping for a good outcome in court on Friday, but says "it's heart-wrenching."

This post was reported and written by Guilford Patch editor Lauren Lanzon.

Just two days before the court date that will determine whether or not Jeff Cashman can operate his farm in town, we found the businessman hard at work outside his soon to be closed hardware store on Route 1.

After a lawsuit filed by the town, Cashman’s financial burden gave him no other choice but to close his business, which he has owned and operated in town for almost 10 years.

“This is what we should be celebrating today,” Cashman said, showing us a picture of an adorable duckling. “One of our ducks had her babies on the farm recently. We should be excited and happy, but instead, we’re thinking about court dates and legal fees. At this point, we’re just waiting for the hammer to drop on Friday.”

The court date for the lawsuit is set to take place Friday, April 26, and Cashman hopes for a good outcome for himself and his farm, which he has owned and run for 25 years. He explained he has all of the appropriate documentation, has combed through regulations in the town, and is hoping to hear good news on Friday. But despite his optimism on the outcome, Cashman explained how difficult things have been over the past year.

“It’s heart-wrenching for me, for my wife too,” Cashman continued. “I want to protect my family, I don’t want them to go through this. I want to provide for them. I’m just a hardworking guy, I’m not in business to make millions. We opened our doors to make a difference.”

Cashman recalled a story about a woman who brought in a subpump one time that was in need of repair. Typically, hardware stores won’t do that work, but Cashman explained they took the whole piece of equipment apart and discovered a rock that had clogged the pump. He explained the pump is still working today.

“We’ve went to a resident’s home who had leukemia because they couldn’t make it to the store,” Cashman said. “We’ve stood outside right here on this curb offering water on a hot day. It just breaks my heart to see what this has turned into.”

“If I didn’t care about this, if I didn’t care about the town, then I just wouldn’t care,” he continued, with tears welling up in his eyes. “But I do care, which is what makes this so hard. I care about this town. I want to be able to provide for my family, I want to be able to sit at the table and face them. And this has been just so hard for all of us.”

“The only thing we’re trying to do is not think about it,” Cashman concluded. “Trying to think about other things and hoping for the best.”


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