We welcome you to our website Steffens Orchards. This is a family farm operation currently operating 300 plus acres of apples. Rob and Christine Steffens, the fourth generation own, operate and manage the farms and market. John and Sharon Steffens, now retired, still help wherever needed. We are farming in Alpine, Sparta and Chester Townships producing apples, sweet cherries and pumpkins.
The Steffens family arrived from Germany in 1846 and settled in Alpine Township in 1852.
The parcel where the farm market is, was purchased in 1983. It is located in Sparta Township
and there wasn't an apple tree on it when it was purchased. The existing barn is over 100 years old and was refurbished in 2010. It has beautiful hand-hewn beams inside. The barn is where we teach children about the life cycle of apples and pumpkins.
The production of apples is a year-around effort. Each tree must be trimmed every winter and then as we look forward to April the buds appear and about the middle two weeks of May the trees bloom in gorgeous array. We rent bees to increase the pollination process which is also enhanced by the wind.
In a normal year most of the apples picked at Steffens Orchards are sold fresh in grocery stores across the Eastern United States, England, Israel, Central America and South America. Apples that aren't eaten fresh are used to make apple cider, applesauce, slices for processing, and apple desserts.
Most of the apples at Steffens Orchards are picked by workers who move across the country picking fruit of all kinds as it ripens. Without them we would have a very difficult time operating the orchards.
We hope you enjoy your visit to our orchards and market and please come back to see us again.
