For Monroe’s Orchard, a Portage County local apple farm, it has always been important to adapt to the changing times but also maintain the essence of what has made it so beloved in Hiram.
This is the model for Monroe’s Orchard’s hosting of its 25th annual season of Apple Harvest Festivals being held on the farm on three Saturdays in early fall.
“It’s a blessing,” said Sue Monroe. “to have people come and appreciate the cider, which we have been making from the very beginning. We are known for the quality of our cider. That is very important to us. It is important to us to be known for quality and to be known for being a benefit to the community. What could be better?”
According to Monroe, she and her husband, Roger, were inspired to begin hosting annual Apple Harvest Festivals 25 years ago so they could draw more people to their farm.
She added it was also a good way to provide community service because they offered free wagon rides around the farm, a glass of apple cider and an apple to all who visited.
Monroe said it was a good way for the Monroe family to stay connected with the community and have a great time.
Monroe’s Orchard originally hosted only two Apple Harvest Festivals a year but increased it to three and even four events because of the many attractions that were offered.
“A lot of people come out and want to enjoy the orchard but they want to be entertained as well,” Monroe said. “It is a little bit different. You have to grow with what is going on in the community and I feel like we have done it.”
Having been in Hiram since 1938, Monroe’s Orchard has gained plenty of recognition, having the same customers, who hail from Cleveland, Akron and Youngstown, continue to return for their apples and cider.
In addition to being well-known in the Tri-County area, Monroe added that the Apple Harvest Festivals have also been great tools of education for the visiting children.
“It is a lot of planning but at the same time it is amazing for it to be a blessing to someone else and see kids enjoy the farm, so they see where the apples grow, how the apples grow and how many apples grow on a tree,” she said. “That is amazing.”
The Apple Harvest Festivals have tried different things over the years but some of the things that have remained the same have been the presence of the Crestwood Lions Club, whose members cook hamburgers to sell to the tourists and give the proceeds back to the community.
Another fundraiser hosted by the Apple Harvest Festival has been the M&M train rides through the orchard that also raise money for the community.
Some of the free activities offered by Monroe’s Orchard include apple picking, wagon rides and pumpkin picking.
Monroe also said the family business does not forget to offer tourists the chance to shop inside their store and select their own bag of mixed apples.
According to Monroe, many orchards do not offer bags filled with mixed apples and always try and keep them separated by brand, but Monroe’s Orchard encourages everyone to have their fill of whichever apples they desire and choose a variety or even make an apple pie filled with all sorts of different apples.
Most importantly, Monroe said it has been the theme of family which has helped Monroe’s Orchard successfully host the Apple Harvest Festivals each year.
“We wanted to get more people here and get more exposure,” she said. “We wanted to have a day for the community. That was very important for us and I guess that was it and it has grown and we are very happy with it. We get to share the farm and share the farm life and sharing farm life is very good.”
The final day of Harvest Festival Season will take place on Oct. 14, beginning at 11 a.m.
