Area Apple Orchards Will Not Open After Tough Winter, Spring

MCHENRY, LAKE COUNTIES, IL — Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on many beloved apple orchards in McHenry and Lake counties, prompting owners to delay opening and even forcing some to close for the year. And at least one orchard, More Than Delicious Orchard in Woodstock, has decided to shut down its family-run business for good.

Lang's Orchard, 17411 Secor Road in Woodstock, is among the apple orchards that will not open this fall season. The reason behind the closure is due to the small batch of quality apples in the primarily U-Pick orchard.

Owners Steve and Chris Lang are speculating that last winter's extreme cold, as well as the longevity of the winter weather that continued into April and May, lead to issues with this year's crop.

"This spring was long, cold and wet. Flowering didn't occur until May 17, almost three weeks later than usual and there was a noticeable absence of flowers on the trees," Chris and Steve Lang wrote in a letter to its customers, explaining the reason for this year's closure.

The duo didn't want to open and not be able to "deliver on expected standards," and after careful consideration, "felt it was best not to open at all."

"Hopefully, we can resume our good relationship next year if Mother Nature will let us," they wrote in the letter posted on Lang's Orchard website in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, More Than Delicious Orchard, also in Woodstock, will be closing permanently. Like Lang's Orchard, the weather this past winter and spring are to blame for severely damging the orchard's crop. At More Than Delicious Orchard, more than 50 trees died.

Owners of the orchard, Mike and Velma Downes, decided to close as the couple plans to retire.

The orchard started off as a hobby for Mike and Velma Downes in 1981 when they began planning pear and apple trees on their property—they also used the orchard as a "great way to get their kids, Brian and Emily," helping out with some chores and farm work. They began to plant more trees over the years, including varieties that sounded "fun, tasty or just plain interesting," according to the More Than Delicious Orchard website.

The orchard ended up specializing in heirloom apples when it became a full-blown business. The transition to a business came slowly, starting when the family had more apples for them alone and started selling their product to friends and neighbors off a picnic table on the weekends.

Eventually, the family built a barn with a cold storage room to keep the fruit and daughter Emily, and her husband, started coming on weekends to help with the ever-growing crowds at the orchard, which is located at 9905 Thompson Road in Woodstock.

The Downesretired from daily operations at the farm in 2017 and long-time customers of the orchard, Steve and Krissy Shorey, took over daily operations.

"As we transition into true retirement, we are no longer opening the orchard," the Downers wrote in a letter to customers posted on the More Than Delicious Orchard website. "Thanks again and we will miss you."

A third Woodstock apple orchard, Woodstock Country Orchard, has also made the decision to close for the season. Again, the weather is to blame.

"The extreme cold weather last winter and spring has damaged our flower buds for the majority of our apple trees," according to a note to customers posted on the orchard's website. "We are, however, expecting a great harvest next year."

"We hope to see you all in the fall of 2020. We will miss our apple lovers."

In Lake County, Heinz Orchard in Libertyville is getting a later-than-expected start to its apple picking season. The late start has to do with record rains and flooding in the area this past year, which has left its crop "smaller and cosmetically marked up," owners at the orchard reported on the Heinz Orchard website.

Heinz Orchard, 1050 Crest Road in Green Oaks, had planned to open last weekend but will instead open on Friday, Sept. 20. The orchard will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and has McIntosh and an extremely limited amount of Jonathans apples available.

"[The apples] are good peeled and eaten or used for applesauce, apple butter and pies."

Since the fruit is not the typical quality offered at the orchard, Heinz will be offering half-off the apples. In addition, the farm is anticipating it will only be open on Fridays this year.

Meanwhile, several area apple orchards and corn mazes have opened or will be opening soon in the Chicago area. Many U-Pick farms are asking visitors to check the orchards' social media pages, websites or calling before they stop out to make sure there are enough apples to pick.

We've got a full guide on these fall favorites in our Apple Orchards, Corn Mazes: Chicago-Area 2019 Guide.

Do you know of any other orchards in the Chicago are affected by last spring and winter's weather and/or that will not be opening this year? Let Editor Amie Schaenzer know by e-mailing her at amie.schaenzer@patch.com.