Catoctin Mountain Orchard

FRESH FRUIT AND PICK-YOUR-OWN

Catoctin Mountain Orchard

What better way to describe Catoctin Mountain Orchard than by their mission statement: “Our mission at Catoctin is to produce high-quality, great-tasting fruits, berries and vegetables. We aim to increase the efficiency of our crop while still maintaining responsible stewardship of the land and water. We pride ourselves on engaging with the community by directly interacting with customers first hand while building relationships and sharing our strong family values.”

“Guests are welcomed as soon as they walk in our store,” said owners Robert Black and his sister, Pat Black. “Friendly staff will greet you with a huge smile on their face and are willing to answer any questions you may have. If shopping in our store isn’t satisfying enough you have the option to pick your own apples or berries on the farm. Your adventure starts with a short wagon ride that delivers patrons to the farm’s picking fields where black raspberries, blueberries, sweet and tart cherries as well as apples are just waiting to be enjoyed and savored during their designated seasons.”

And the choices don’t stop in the picking fields. Folks may also cut their own flowers at the farm with more than 15 varieties of colorful blooms available to make a beautiful, eye-popping bouquet.

“(Families) come from all over to make memories in our pick-your-own fields,” Robert Black says. “We have new apple varieties that people have never tasted before that will be for sale this year.”

The orchard dates back to 1948, when Harry Black helped to start and build the land’s first open-air market featuring apples and peaches. The family later purchased the farm from Ira Kelbaugh in 1961. Six decades later, the second, third and fourth generations of the Black family work hard every day to ensure the quality of their products. The 100-acre farm has 70 percent of the land dedicated to the orchard and 20 percent to vegetables, cover crops and berries.

A wide variety of home-grown products are sold in the on-site farm market including fruits such as peaches, pears, plums and nectarines. Vegetable selections such as kale, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and squash are all sure to please. Other treats such as jams and jellies, fresh apple cider, maple syrup and local honey is also available, alongside bakery selections such as fresh baked pies, apple dumplings and apple cider donuts.

No matter what is on your list, you’re sure to find something to love at Catoctin Mountain Orchard.

“... People come back year after year,” Black says. “Our motto is, 'fresh fruit for better health.’”