ERIEVILLE — On Saturday, Oct. 8, DeWitt resident Dick Ford kicked off the second month of his community discussion series at The Shoppes at Johnny Appleseed, a co-op-style artisan marketplace on Old State Rd in Erieville.

Ford, 85, leases space in Johnny Appleseed to sell big band, jazz, and swing records as well as used books. He also teaches piano lessons and performs background music for the store’s visitors.

On Sept. 3, Ford introduced a series of weekly discussions covering a range of thought-provoking topics.

The one-hour sessions are held on Saturday mornings starting at 11 a.m. The group gathers around an antique wooden table in Ford’s space at the far end of one wing of the store.

The October discussion series is focused on the New York State public education system.

“It’s a tough time with drop-out rates high and kids not reading well,” said Ford, a former school district superintendent in the Elmira and Cooperstown areas. “[There are] some decisions that the Board of Regents historically has made that make New York State kind of unlike a lot of states in America.”

According to Ford, the group will be joined at the next session by a couple of educators who will weigh in on the topic of how teachers empower students despite the limitations of the education system.

The Shoppes at Johnny Appleseed is located at 3402 Old State Rd and is open year-round Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The store’s café, known as the Apple Kitchen, is open on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. It serves coffee, wine, craft beers, grilled sandwiches, homemade soups, and desserts.

For more information on the discussion group, contact Ford at 315-727-2720.