Orchard Ridge Farms

Orchard Ridge Farms grows apples organically on ten rolling acres just west of Rockton, Illinois. Our philosophy at Orchard Ridge Farms is simple: everything we do on the farm is connected. Any materials we use in the orchard are carried by the rain into the soil, flowing downward, back into our water table. Our decisions in growing apples affect the people who live and work here, our guests, and the wildlife around us. With that in mind, we choose to use all organic methods in our orchard. The decision seems simple, and in many ways it is, but growing apples organically in the Midwest requires a combination of time-tested knowledge from a century ago and cutting-edge innovations. Organic does not mean no sprays are used in the orchard. Apple trees left alone will not produce good apples. Organic means we only use material in the orchard that is natural and proven safe. Many of these sprays promote tree health to resist insects and disease, while others can be common substances like clay sprayed on the fruit that act as a barrier to insects looking for a snack. Our orchard is young, with most trees in their fourth season in 2013, so variety availability will depend on bloom. Check our website for further information as the season progresses. We follow all of the organic standards, but we have not yet gone through the certification process. We plan on being certified in 2014. The 130 acre Orchard Ridge Farms property also includes The Pavilion, a state-of-the-art wedding and events facility, and an award-winning Bed & Breakfast, the Copperstone Inn.