Ray “The British Clockmaker” Bates maintains a delicate balance in his professional life.
He honors the past, focuses on the present, and keeps an eye on the future.
This rare combination of talents has made this Newfane resident one of the most sought-after clock restorers in the country.
Bates honors the past by understanding the intentions of clockmakers working before the Industrial Revolution. Before he begins the restoration process he wants to understand what the original clockmaker had in mind. Only then will he begin the precise, time-consuming challenge of making a 300- or 400-year-old clock measure time again.
Almost one-fifth of the fruits and vegetables raised on American farms never make it out of the field. Combine that with the fact that 50 million people aren't sure where or when they will get their next meal, and you have a big problem in this country of plenty.