About Us
Edwards Apple Orchard West is located in Northern Illinois, just outside Rockford, in the small town of Winnebago. Robert Edwards Sr., along with wife Betty, started Edwards Orchard in Poplar Grove, IL in 1964. He then sold the business in 1990 to his daughter Barb and her Husband Ken Hall. Robertsa son, At about the same time, Michael, then aspired to start his own orchard with wife Lynn which was established in 1988. It all started off with our first crop of 34 bushels of apples and our first harvest of pumpkins.
We now welcome thousands of guests and their families each year to enjoy the sights and smells of fall. Our orchard features 18 different varieties of crisp apples from over 5000 trees, freshly made apple cider, and of course our apple cider donuts. We also have a pumpkin patch with pick-ur-own pumpkins and pick-ur-own raspberries. The childrenas play area includes a wooden bus and train, a school house, corn cribs with troughs of corn for kids to play in and our petting farm complete with a goat walk. On the weekends and Holidays we offer pony rides and wagon rides into the orchard for a small additional cost. Our renovated dairy barn was built in 1893 has many different rooms with gift items and food products on display. This is also where our customers are able to purchase their apples, cider, and donuts. Our season consists for opening at the end of August through Thanksgiving weekend. We have about 35 employees during our fall season and 2 delightful employees that work in the Spring and Summer. We strive to keep an intimate family atmosphere that fosters family tradition and memories. Adding the latest craze is something we try not to do, instead we are determined to do the best of what we already do.
We are truly blessed to have our three children that actively work alongside us and they all want to come back to work at the orchard. When trying to compile a list of their contributes, itas easier to stay they are truly a jack of all trades! Youall find them outside in our apple orchard, to making donuts in the donut kitchen, to dreadful office work. Our son Brian (27) earned 2 associated degrees in Arts and Science, he works full-time at the orchard and enjoys building repairs and up keep, along with crop production. Our eldest daughter Kristin (25) earned her Bacheloras degree in Nursing and works nights on an intensive care unit. When she is not at the hospital she spends her days doing grounds upkeep, director of media, and manages in the donut kitchen in the fall. Kari (22) is in her Junior year at Illinois State University majoring in Businesses Administration. She comes home to help and weekends and is looking to come back full-time to the orchard. She specializes in merchandising and accounting.
