COLUMBUS – The Ohio Fruit Growers Society will hold its summer tour June 29, 2005, at Burnhams Orchard, 8019 state Route 113, Berlin Heights, Ohio.
The farm is owned by Joe Burnham III, his wife, Martha, and their son Joe Burnham IV, the sixth generation to farm this land.
220 acres. The farm dedicates approximately 220 acres to the growth of peaches, apples and, most recently, cherries.
Over the years, the Burnhams have experimented with different training systems for apple growth such as, Y-trellis, V-trellis, vertical axe and their current favorite, the super spindle. The various systems will be showcased during the orchard tours that begin at 8 a.m. and run every half-hour.
In addition to their experience with growing fruit, they also dedicate approximately 550 acres of their property to row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.
Farm market. The Burnhams market their fruit through their retail farm market that opens with the ripening of the first peach in July and stays open until the last apple is gone in May.
They also market their fruit through direct wholesale to other farm markets and local grocery stores, however the majority of their apple production is marketed through the Fruit Growers Marketing Association.
Recently, they have added an entertainment segment on five weekends during harvest in September and October where they offer a 5-acre corn maze, a hay bale maze, hayrides, a pedal tractor course, and pick-your-own pumpkins.
They also produce apple cider that is flash pasteurized for product safety and bottled on-site. They market this cider though their retail farm market and local grocery stores.
Packing facility. In addition to the orchard tours, visitors will tour a new 14,000 square foot apple packing facility, and a dry refrigerated storage area that includes three loading docks.
Mini-trade show, meeting. The summer tour will also present more than 30 exhibitors who support the fruit industry.
A chicken barbecue lunch will be provided by AG Credit and lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
At 1 p.m., Joe Burnham IV will convene the society’s business meeting and we will hear from him and from members of the Ohio State University fruit team.
Bonus tour. As a bonus, the Burnhams have arranged a tour of another sixth generation Berlin Heights business, The Berlin Fruit Box Co.
This company has a family tradition that began in 1858 with Samuel Patterson. It has been supplying handmade fruit baskets to local orchards and farm markets for years and also make handmade maple baskets and accessories for the home.
Owner Matt Adlemann will open the doors of his facility to summer tour participants beginning at 2 p.m.
Registration opens at 7 a.m. and the registration fee is $15 individual/$20 family for society members and $20 individual/$25 family for nonmembers.
Orchard tours begin at 8 a.m. and continue until noon and the exhibitor area will also open at 8 a.m. and stay open the remainder of the day.
Get the details
For more information about the Ohio Fruit Growers Society summer tour, contact:
