Ledyard - The 20-acre site that's home to Alice Acres Farm Market & Greenhouses has been passed from generation to generation ever since the British established the site as a farm for colonial settlers. In more than 350 years, it has never been sold.But by Halloween, that might change.

But by Halloween, that might change.Fifty days of rain this summer cut Pete Bargmann's crop in half, and the dismal sales made it harder to make mortgage payments on the Gales Ferry farm, his house, and the ice cream shop he opened in 2008 to diversify his income.

Fifty days of rain this summer cut Pete Bargmann's crop in half, and the dismal sales made it harder to make mortgage payments on the Gales Ferry farm, his house, and the ice cream shop he opened in 2008 to diversify his income."You know that movie 'The Perfect Storm'? It's the only way I can relate to it, " said Bargmann, 49, who opened the farm stand in 1995 on land his stepfather had farmed before him. He had spent the previous two years restoring the farm. Every summer before this year, Bargmann had been able to put away about $100,000, enough for him to get by during the winter months and to restart his greenhouses in February.

"You know that movie 'The Perfect Storm'? It's the only way I can relate to it, " said Bargmann, 49, who opened the farm stand in 1995 on land his stepfather had farmed before him. He had spent the previous two years restoring the farm. Every summer before this year, Bargmann had been able to put away about $100,000, enough for him to get by during the winter months and to restart his greenhouses in February. This season started out with promise in February as Bargmann and his staff filled 5,000 pots with soil and then planted about 100 different kinds of perennials in them.

This season started out with promise in February as Bargmann and his staff filled 5,000 pots with soil and then planted about 100 different kinds of perennials in them.But today, Bargmann says, he has $96 in his checking account and $47 in savings. He lives paycheck to paycheck, barely making his monthly mortgage and utility payments.

But today, Bargmann says, he has $96 in his checking account and $47 in savings. He lives paycheck to paycheck, barely making his monthly mortgage and utility payments.And because his income from selling vegetables, plants and flowers was so low this summer, Bargmann fell behind on mortgage payments and could not get another loan.

And because his income from selling vegetables, plants and flowers was so low this summer, Bargmann fell behind on mortgage payments and could not get another loan."I don't have a penny," he said. "Whatever money I'll have today is what I'm going to make today."

"I don't have a penny," he said. "Whatever money I'll have today is what I'm going to make today."Save for a miracle, Bargmann said, he will have to close up his farm, rent out his house, and move west, resuming his past life as a commercial fisherman in Alaska.

Save for a miracle, Bargmann said, he will have to close up his farm, rent out his house, and move west, resuming his past life as a commercial fisherman in Alaska."If nothing changes, I'm going to have to take all my stuff and put it in storage," he said. "And so I don't lose my house, I'll have to rent it out. I guess I'll just get in my truck and head west to go fishing."

"If nothing changes, I'm going to have to take all my stuff and put it in storage," he said. "And so I don't lose my house, I'll have to rent it out. I guess I'll just get in my truck and head west to go fishing."Bargmann is a beloved figure in Gales Ferry, and residents say they don't want to see the farm go.

Bargmann is a beloved figure in Gales Ferry, and residents say they don't want to see the farm go."You don't meet many people like him in a lifetime," said Jo Wood, who works in Gales Ferry. "He's like the Pied Piper of Gales Ferry. Everybody's so drawn to him. He's a charismatic guy, and you can't help but like him."

"You don't meet many people like him in a lifetime," said Jo Wood, who works in Gales Ferry. "He's like the Pied Piper of Gales Ferry. Everybody's so drawn to him. He's a charismatic guy, and you can't help but like him."Neighbors hope to find a way to help keep Alice Acres in business.

Neighbors hope to find a way to help keep Alice Acres in business."We're hoping we could maybe do something, if enough people could get together," said Linda Davis, a real estate agent from Gales Ferry who serves on the Town Council. "We could do some fundraising, or find some people to contribute. We certainly don't want to lose Pete or the farm."

"We're hoping we could maybe do something, if enough people could get together," said Linda Davis, a real estate agent from Gales Ferry who serves on the Town Council. "We could do some fundraising, or find some people to contribute. We certainly don't want to lose Pete or the farm."Alice Acres will close for the season on Halloween, and Bargmann fears that day could be the end of the farm.

Alice Acres will close for the season on Halloween, and Bargmann fears that day could be the end of the farm."I don't want to leave," he said. "I've lived here my whole life and now it's come down to this, and God, I hate it. It's ripping me apart."

"I don't want to leave," he said. "I've lived here my whole life and now it's come down to this, and God, I hate it. It's ripping me apart."But if Bargmann does not get the miracle he's hoping for, he takes comfort knowing he had lived his dream.

But if Bargmann does not get the miracle he's hoping for, he takes comfort knowing he had lived his dream."For the last 16 years, since I started doing this business, I've been blessed to do exactly what I was meant to do," Bargmann said. "So if I were to lose this tomorrow, at least for me I got to do what I was meant to do. And that's pretty big. Some guys go to work every day, and they'll never have this feeling."

"For the last 16 years, since I started doing this business, I've been blessed to do exactly what I was meant to do," Bargmann said. "So if I were to lose this tomorrow, at least for me I got to do what I was meant to do. And that's pretty big. Some guys go to work every day, and they'll never have this feeling."m.collette@theday.com

m.collette@theday.com