K. Schlegel Fruit Farm

A Family Farm Rooted in Tradition

K. Schlegel Fruit Farm is built on food and family. Karl and Betsy Schlegel have raised four children, welcomed 14 grandchildren, and grown about 70 varieties of apples along the way. Now, their son Kaleb is carrying that legacy forward, stepping into his role as orchard manager and helping lead the next generation of the family farm.

Apples, Variety, and Flavor

Among their many apple varieties, the K. Schlegel team is willing to pick out some favorites. They love working with EverCrisp, GoldRush, Ludacrisp, and Honeycrisp. And among their customers, they see folks enjoying SnapDragon, Ambrosia, Rosalee, and Baker’s Delight, to start. With so many options, how could you choose? They’re more than happy to talk to you about the subtle notes of rose found in a Rosalee apple or the pleasant sharpness of Sweet Zinger to help you find the perfect fruit just for you. And if you like, you can certainly enjoy some of their raspberries, pears, plums, peaches, and other wonderful produce.

We’re feeding it to our family and we’re feeding it to other people. [So] we want good, fresh, healthy food. — Betsy Schlegel

Quality Farming for the Future

And what about the quality of their fruit? Don’t be surprised if you get a chuckle when you ask them that. Karl is quite the stickler about his fruit. “If it gets by Karl,” says Betsy, “it must be pretty good!” But great quality isn’t just about flavor. The Schlegels are also looking at how they can provide their customers with the best nutrition possible in their food. 

“We’re feeding it to our family and we’re feeding it to other people. [So] we want good, fresh, healthy food,” remarks Betsy. “In this climate…food is grown so fast and so cheaply that the quality is just being sucked right out of it. We’re moving back the other way.”

The K. Schlegel team are EcoCertified^® not only for their loose apples, but any product that includes apples, including their cider, barbecue sauce, and other items at their farm stand. To create nutritious produce that’s up to their high standards, they have to stay on top of the healthiest, most sustainable, and most ecologically-sound farming methods. That’s why they’re exploring regenerative agriculture practices. They’re sending animals like geese, ducks, and sheep in to graze their harvested land, which provides both natural weeding and high-quality fertilization. With these practices, they’re setting up their orchards to produce the best possible fruit in the next season. 

And that’s why, when you visit K. Schlegel Farm to pick up your produce, you know it won’t just be up to your standards — it’ll be up to Karl’s as well.