Have
you ever wondered how Uncle John's became what it
is today?
Uncle John's farm has been
in the Beck family for over 120 years. The orchard
was established by Frank Beck, (five generations ago)
who also grew grapes, raspberries and strawberries.
Throughout the years, there have been many different
fruits, vegetables and animals raised at Uncle John's
farm.
Current owners, John
& Carolyn Beck purchased the farm from John's
parents. Uncle John's hasn't always been making cider.
. . the farm got it's place on the map as a "pick
your own" operation. Carolyn used to sell apples
off her front porch step. As business continued to
grow, they kept thinking of ways to add value to the
farm.
Many customers over the
years requested apple cider, so it got John &
Carolyn thinking that maybe they should start making
cider. Carolyn remembers talking to her father-in-law
about turning the barn into a Cider Mill and making
cider, his response was "That is the biggest
pipe dream I have ever heard!" However, John
& Carolyn stuck with their dream and in 1972,
opened the Cider Mill.
How did Uncle John's
get it's name?
That one is easy. After the decision
was made to convert the barn into a cider mill, many
of John & Carolyn's family members came to help
them. All that was heard was "Uncle John, what
do you want me to . . . ." and the name was born!
Uncle John's Cider Mill was definitely a fitting name.
Throughout the years, John & Carolyn
have strived to add new and fun things for the family
to do at the farm. While at our farm, enjoy fresh
baked pies, breads, cookies and pastries. While
at Uncle John's make sure you sample some wine at
our Fruit House Winery, be sure to take a train ride
through the cherry orchard (seasonally), visit our
Gift Shop, check out the Pie Barn and have lunch,
take a walk through the Corn Maze and Hay Bale Maze
or take a leisurely stroll through the nature trail.
Today, John & Carolyn still run
the farm with the help of their son, Michael, his
wife Dede and son-in-law, John, making the 5th generation
on the farm. Along with family members, Uncle John’s
is very fortunate to have many staff members who return
season after season!
A note from Carolyn Beck, " A
big THANK YOU, to all our customers who come back
year after year, we would not be here without YOU!
We love what we do and look forward to every season."
|