Faeth Orchards

 

A recent issue of "American Profile Magazine" featured an article about our orchard and its history. It was written by Lori Erickson of Iowa City, Iowa. Here is the web link to the article http://www.americanprofile.com/issues/20060723/20060723_5306.asp
Hope you enjoy reading it.

 

 

The apple harvest now picks up speed and we add new varieties to our salesroom each weekend. We are currently picking Early Gold, Paula Red, Williams Red and Williams Pride apples. These summer season varieties are good for eating, applesauce and apple crisp. Next we will harvest Wealthy, Maiden Blush, Beacon, Redfree and Ozark Gold. We expect to have peaches available approximately August 5th. Our region needs rain - this will make the peaches very happy :)

If you wish to order peaches, please call 319-372-1307 to place your order. Or, send us an e-mail apple at faethorchards com.

 

 

Faeth Orchards made a commitment to continue to nurture Heritage varieties of apples. One of the best known Heritage varieties is Yellow Transparent (original name) or Lodi Transparent. Our trees were planted in 1940 by the 4th generation of Faeths. These large, tart, green apples have been a favorite of applesauce connoisseurs. The apples are the first to ripen at our orchard and, because they are exclusive, customers place orders for them. Lodi Transparent apples make excellent sauce - clear, smooth and tart. We suggest you add sugar to taste for this sauce. Customers also use this variety for pies - their first fresh apple pie of the season!
We suggest special care and handling of these apples - use them quickly after purchase.

Please contact use by phone 319-372-1307 or e-mail apple@faethorchards.com if you wish to be placed on the mailing list for Lodi Transparent apples. They usually begin ripening around the 4th of July. We take orders for this variety, and customers are asked to pick up their orders on weekends in July.
July hours: Saturdays 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Sundays noon - 4:00

 

 

Primary School Teachers:

Schedule a Fall tour of Faeth Orchards now. Age appropriate tours available for Pre-K, Kindergarten, First and Second grade levels. Tour the orchard operation, learn about apple varieties, see a cider press and visit the barnyard friends. We would be happy to send information to you. Tour dates fill up quickly.

Please contact Heather Faeth (scoutcon@interl.com) or Arleen Faeth (faeth@watkinsonline.com).

 

 

Pruning promotes correct growth of the trees. Dead and severely damaged limbs are removed. Pruning provides enough space between limbs to allow sunlight to penetrate the tree and prevent apples from rubbing on limbs or the trunk of the tree.

When we allow enough space we are also giving the tree the potential to produce larger apples. Many of the trees at Faeth Orchards are standard trees which were planted in the 1940's and 1950's. These trees take many hours to prune because of their height. The other trees at the orchard are semi-drawf trees planted from 1970-1995 which tend to reach a height of 15 feet.

 

 

August is the beginning of the REAL harvest season for Faeth Orchards. We began picking the following varieties of apples: Beacon, Paula Red, Williams Red and Wealthy. Beacon is a softer eating apple and makes excellent pink sauce. Paula Red is a McIntosh variety, white meated inside, and great eating and pie apple. Of course many people remember pies and sauce being made by their relatives out of Wealthy apples. Wealthy's are crisp and tart.

And we have homegrown PEACHES! We started picking Contender and Harmony varieties and later we will have Cresthaven. Nothing beats a bowl of fresh peaches, sliced thin, for dessert. No need to add sugar or other dessert items - oh, well, maybe some vanilla ice cream and peaches....!!! yum................

Later this month we will have Red Freedom and Ozark Gold apples, more plums and some sugar pears. Call 319-372-1307 for information about apple varieties, directions to the orchard or to put your name on our mailing list. We enjoy visiting with our customers.

 

 

In summer of 2004 we acquired 3 chickens and Arleen named them Miss Cluck Cluck (remember the movie Andre?), Henrietta and Phoebe. During pruning season this spring Phoebe was missing for almost 2 months. We couldn't find her anywhere in the barn yard. Each day we checked - she was not with the other two chickens and the rooster. Then Ethan (age 7) looked under the ramp to the south door to the big barn and he found Phoebe along with 7 chicks! She was such a proud mother - soon she was nudging her chicks to explore the barnyard and peck, peck, and peck at the ground for food. She kept a close, watchful eye on her chicks. Sadly, Phoebe and two of her chicks were missing again one day in July and we have not found them. We do have 5 of the chicks and they grow bigger week by week. No names yet - perhaps you could suggest some names for us? They love to eat cracked corn and apple cores, and recently they relished slices of fresh homegrown peaches! Take time to visit the barnyard friends at Faeth Orchards!