Ledyard — With the first signs of spring comes the opening of one of the town's most beloved produce and ice cream stands, Alice Acres Farm Market & Greenhouses and Cows and Cones.

Owner Peter Bargmann - or Farmer Pete to the younger ice cream enthusiasts - is celebrating the opening of his 17th gardening season and the fourth ice cream season.

The market and ice cream stand are tucked away behind Route 12 on Military Highway, but those familiar with the businesses wouldn't entertain the thought of skipping multiple trips for ice cream or fresh produce this summer.

Some make the trip just to see Buster, a 2,000 pound steer that serves as the unofficial Cows and Cones spokes-animal. He oversees the daily operations of the ice cream stand and greenhouses during the season. His female friend, Jack-Jack, is an 11-year-old red cow that just happens to be the object of affection for Monty, a sheep that prefers her company over that of his counterparts that take residence in the other side of their turnout.

"He has a crush on Jack-Jack. He thinks he's a cow and I don't know what's gotten into him, he's been like that ever since we got him," Bargmann said.

Inside the greenhouses, bursts of vibrant red, yellow, orange and purple colors greet visitors.

Bargmann begins planting his perennials in February and in order to keep the flowers at a suitable temperature for growing, he heats each greenhouse with a 270-gallon oil tank. When the perennials are planted, he begins to focus his attention on the annuals.

"I grow about 3,000 hanging baskets for the season and around 8,000 4 1/2 inch planter pots, which are the most popular," he said.

After the annuals, vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and squash are planted in designated spaces along the 20-acre-farm for the July opening of the produce farm stand.

Bargmann said all of the vegetables and fruits he grows are organic and that he refuses to use pesticides.

"I like to go out to the garden and pick something and eat it right there, I don't believe in pesticides," he said.

In the fall, he estimates that he will plant around 10,000 mums.

The self admitted plant and animal lover said he started the first greenhouse in 1996 "not knowing the first thing about plants."

"I went to college for soil science. Plants and growing things just come easy to me, I was meant to do this," he said as he stood outside of one of the greenhouses. "I hope I can do this forever."

It's been nearly 40 years that Bargmann has been planting.

After a childhood trip to New York City with his father, he saw a man pushing a cart of tomatoes and said to his father that he just wanted to sell tomatoes.

"Here I am doing what I wanted to do 45 years ago, I wanted to have then what I have now and I'm truly blessed," Bargmann said.

His mother, Pat Crandall, allowed Bargmann to use their Harvard Road backyard as a garden and he also sold the babies of about 100 Dutch rabbits to local pet stores.

Today, Bargmann lives in the home he grew up in.

He said after the death of his father in 1973, his mother grew depressed and he desperately wanted to find a way to make her feel better.

That's when he introduced her to their neighbor, Bud Crandall, the previous owner of Alice Acres.

The pair fell in love and were married for 19 years. Bud Crandall died in 1993 and Bargmann couldn't bear to see the farm disintegrate.

That is when his story began.

Standing at the top of his driveway, overlooking the property he said, "The way I look at this property is that it's like a child to me. I'll do anything except lie or steal to keep this farm, this is my entire life."

j.hanckel@theday.com

Alice Acres Farm Market & Greenhouses is located on 39 Military Highway in Gales Ferry. For more information call (860) 464-CONE (2663) or visit www.cowsandcones.com.