Kuhn Orchards Sells 32 Apple Varieties

Looking to try a new apple variety? Stop by Kuhn Orchards at the .

Grown in Cashtown, PA, near Gettysburg, the Kuhn family farm grows 32 apple varieties as well as other fruits and vegetables. 

Starting with Israel and Elizabeth Rife Mickley in the 1840s, the land owned and operated under the name Kuhn Orchards has been passed down to multiple generations of the same family, according to Kuhn Orchards’ website.

Now, the owners of the Kuhn Orchards are David F. and Mary Margaret Kuhn.

The Kuhn farm began marketing its produce in 1993 at a Fairfax market and expanded the next few years to sell at nine farmers markets in the D.C. metro area. Until then, the Kuhn family had sold their apples and peaches wholesale since the 1940s.

“It has just changed our whole way of doing business, because now we grow everything for direct marketing,” Mary Margaret Kuhn said.

Looking into retirement, David and Mary Margaret Kuhn have started the legal process to transition ownership to one of their two daughters, Sidney Kuhn, Mary Margaret said. Sidney already owns the farmers market portion of the business.

According to its website, Kuhn Orchards is not a certified organic farm because of the effect high humidity levels have on apples and peaches, but the farm does employ “Integrated Pest Management to help control pests with as little pesticides as possible.”

To learn more about Kuhn Orchards or to look at an approximated harvest schedule to see what the market vendor will have in season at the Oak Marr Farmers Market, visit their website or like its Facebook page.

Read Oakton Patch each Wednesday morning for our weekly feature on an Oak Marr Farmers Market vendor.