K. Schlegel Fruit Farm

Farmstand Pick-Up !

Ordering for the week opens on Sunday and ends as follows:

Boalsburg Farmers Market, Tuesdays from 2:00-6:00 - order by Tuesday at 7am https://www.kschlegelfruitfarm.com/onlinestore

K. Schlegel Fruit Farm is a fifth generation family farm located in Dalmatia, PA 30 miles north of Harrisburg overlooking the east shore of the Susquehanna River. We have approximately 35 acres in fruit production growing over 30 varieties of apples, 18 varieties of white and yellow peaches, donut peaches, strawberries, sweet and sour cherries, apricots, apriums, white and yellow nectarines, plums, pluots, grapes, pears, sweet corn, strawberries and more! We also offer all of our own Apple Cider, Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, and many types of homemade Applesauce, Apple Butter, and Jams.

We grow all of our own produce using advanced IPM methods. This came about in 2004 as Karl and Betsy, the current owners, were raising four young children. Raising a family, as well as living near and working in the orchard, they wanted to make sure that their farming practices were as both safe and ecologically sustainable as possible. After much research and with the help of scientists at Penn State they began to make the switch from conventional growing to Integrated Pest Management (IPM). By 2009 we were just one of thirteen orchards in PA to fully implement this ground breaking research which most notably included using whole farm mating disruption in place of conventional pesticides.

What is IPM? In the world that we live, pests and disease are a very real problem for farmers, and in order to produce food they need to be dealt with. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a philosophy of growing that is founded in ecology. The orchard is looked at holistically and treated as an ecosystem as opposed to the “one size fits all” method of controlling pest and diseases in conventional growing, usually by spraying. IPM takes into account the geography, climate, pests, and diseases that our farm specifically has to deal with and then looks at any available biological controls (beneficial insects), soil health, and nutritional support for our trees, enabling us to deal with pests and diseases in a way that is safe for everyone and everything in the orchard.

Karl and Betsy’s four children, Keri, Kelsey, Kaleb, and Kalan, are now grown, and actively involved with the farm, even now with their own children. The IPM program has been very successful and we strive to protect the beneficial insects in our orchards to ensure its continued success. We have reduced our pesticide usage by up to 80% less than conventionally grown produce, as well as completely eliminating the use of organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, and use only reduced risk and organic pesticides when necessary. Since 2009 we have been formally 3rd Party IPM Certified and members of Eco Apple, a Massachusetts based organization dedicated to sustainable, ecological, and innovative growing methods.

Find us at:
Our Farm: Tuesday - Friday 9-5, Saturdays 9-1
Harrisburg Farmers Market: Fridays 9-4 (May-November)
Boalsburg Farmers Market: Tuesdays 2-6 (year round, weather permitting)
Lewisburg Farmers Market: Wednesday 8-3 (year round)
Farmer’s Market in Hershey: Thursday 2:30-6:30 (May –October)
Gratz Farmers Market: Friday 11-7 (year round)
Williamsport Growers Market: Saturday 9-12 (year round, weather permitting)
Winter Apple Pick-Up in Hummelstown, PA: once a month from November-April

More Info:
Eco Apple - https://www.redtomato.org/farmers/k-schlegel-fruit-farm/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kschlegelfruitfarm/

Products and Availability:

Strawberries (late May - June)
Sweet and Sour cherries (third week of June - second week of July)
Apriums (mid-late June)
Apricots (late June - late July)
18 Varieties of Yellow and White Peaches (ranging from early July - third week of September)
Yellow and White Nectarines (mid July - late August)
Donut Peaches (early-mid August)
10 Varieties of Plums (ranging from late July - mid September)
Pluots (early - mid September)
Non-GMO Sweet Corn (limited amounts throughout the summer)
Grapes (September)
Pears (late August - October)
Over 30 Varieties of Apples beginning in late July continuing until November, with many varieties then available all winter long!
Apple Cider (mid September - June)
Apple Butter, Applesauce, Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, Jams year round!