James and Sue Hong bought the All Seasons Orchard farm, located in Woodstock Illinois, from the Wilkens Family in 1989. They started by planting their first apple trees which didn’t fair too well. It was surely a gamble but instead of starting to bet on football, James decided to attend Kellogg Apple School at Michigan State University where he learned everything there is to know about the apple industry. A few years later they planted 3,000 apple trees and 4,000 more the following year. And so, All Seasons Orchard was born!

The orchard now has more than 15,000 apple trees. They are known for their honeycrisp apples but you can get a wide variety of apples at the farm. You can ride out to the orchards to even pick your own apples to take home! You can even see how they make their apple cider. We got a first hand look and was shown by one of the farm managers exactly how the cider is made.

Check out the video below to see how apple cider pressing is done at All Seasons Orchard.

At All Seasons Orchard they use agricultural practices that help their trees produce high quality apples while minimizing an impact on the environment. They implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles to minimize spraying by strengthening the orchard ecosystem. The conditions are favorable for the apple trees and beneficial insects but unfavorable for pests. They try to minimize waste by using all apples, even the ones fallen on the ground. These may be used for their apple canon but most are left on the ground to act as a natural fertilizer.

Don’t be fooled by the name though, All Seasons Orchard isn’t just about apples. Today it has grown into so much more. They have a pumpkin patch, corn maze, barnyard and various farm fun activities and amusements.

All Seasons Orchard also loves hosting field trips and groups. It’s the perfect place to host a child’s birthday party or other celebrations. They even are perfect for hosting weddings!

One of my favorite things at All Seasons Orchard was their gift shop. Of course, you can buy apples, apple cider, donuts and other delicious treats but they also sell home decor. I got me a few cute items for my home.

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What’s your favorite kind of apple? Comment below and share with us!