Buy Direct from NC Apple Growers, Farms, Orchards, and Markets - BRFDMA - Blue Ridge Farm Direct Market Association - Hendersonville NC Apple Growers Association
Hendersonville NC Apple Farms and Orchards in the NC Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville
U Pick - U-Pick - Pick Your Own Apples - Hendersonville NC Apple Orchards and Farms
Hendersonville NC Apples - Apple Farm Markets - Farm Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
 Hendersonville NC Apple Farm Tours-School Field Trips-Day Trips - Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard
Apple Orchards - Farm Markets

Apple Orchards-Farm Markets
Tour Map
 

25-Apple Haven Orchards (WNC Farmers Market)

11-Apple Mill Market

12-Billy Laughter Orchards

14-Coston Farm and Apple House

19-Creasman Farms

16-Freeman Orchards

5-Grandad's Apples N' Such

24-GT - Little Farmers Market

27-Henderson Farms

13-Jimmy Nix and Sons Apple House

22-Justus Orchards

7-Lively Orchards

8-Lyda Farms

21-McConnell Farms

4-Moss Farm

18-Mountain Fresh Orchards

28-Newman Farms

10-Odell Barnwell & Sons, LLC

6-Ottanola Farm

26-Owenby's Fruit Stand

23-Piggy's Ice Cream/Harry's Grill

17-Piney Mountain Orchards Produce

1-Point Lookout Farms

2-Riverview Farms

3-Skytop Orchard

9-Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

15-The Apple House Owenby Orchards

20-Wilkie's Orchard
 

Apple Orchards-Farm Markets
Tour Map
Buy NC Apples Direct from the Grower or at Hendersonville Roadside Markets and Farm Stands
Blue Ridge Farm Direct Market Association (BRFDMA)
Hendersonville - Henderson County - NC Apple Growers
 Printer-Friendly Fact Sheet  
 

History and Process of Apple Growing in Western North Carolina

 View Video about Apple Growing in Western NC Enjoy NC Apples - NC Apple Festival Video - Learn About NC Apples View Video about the NC Apple Festival
 
 

BRFDMA - BLUE RIDGE FARM DIRECT MARKET ASSOCIATIONAbout the Blue Ridge Farm Direct Market Association (BRFDMA)
 

The Blue Ridge Farm Direct Market Association (BRFDMA) is an organization of Henderson County Apple Growers that was original formed in 1936 in cooperation with the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service. The mission of the BRFDMA is to promote Henderson County NC Apples while educating the growers and the public about the apple industry. Each year we promote NC Apples, Apple Orchards, Direct Farm Markets / Roadside Stands, and Agritourism, including orchard and farm tours, barnyard animal tours, and K-12 educational tours in Henderson County. For more information, email or call Marvin Owings at the NC Cooperative Extension Service - Henderson County Center (828) 697-4891 or (828) 329-2730.
  BRFDMA - BLUE RIDGE FARM DIRECT MARKET ASSOCIATIONDirect Marketing of Henderson County Farm Products
  Henderson County is the home of the NC Apple Festival and Street Fair and one of the leading producer of apples in the Southeast, producing over 85% of the apples grown in North Carolina. Apples remain a $15-24 Mil. annual crop. The county is also a large producer of vegetables ranking 2nd or 3rd in the entire state of North Carolina consistently each year.
  BRFDMA - BLUE RIDGE FARM DIRECT MARKET ASSOCIATIONHenderson County NC - Apple Industry History and Heritage
  Growing apples has been part of Henderson County's culture and heritage since the mid 1700s. Dalton, Edney, Enloe, Freeman, Gilbert, Henderson, Jackson, Justice, Justus, Lamb, Lancaster, Laughter, Liese, Lyda, Merrill, Moore, Moss, Nix, Staton, and Stepp are all names of Henderson County families that have played an important role in apple production in the county. More about the History of the Henderson County Apple Industry

HENDERSON COUNTY NC APPLE INDUSTRY HISTORY (More>)

  • 1700s - William Mills, set fruit trees and became the first apple grower in Henderson County
  • 1782 - Asa and Samuel Edney married daughters of William Mills and become some of the first settlers in the Edneyville Community of Henderson County
  • 1882 - Rail service connecting Hendersonville to Asheville and South Carolina cities and towns was used by farmers to apples and vegetables out of the county
  • 1890 - 1910 - Farms began hauling apples and other fresh produce to Greenville, Spartanburg, and other South Carolina Counties
  • 1936 - The Blue Ridge Apple Growers Association was formed; Sales were approx. $200,000 per year; Popular apple varieties - Banana Rose, Hoover, Wolf River, and Early June
  • 1945 - Apple growers started planting Starking in the Hendersonville NC area
  • 1946 - 1947 - Establishment of the first commercial apple packing house
  • 1947 - The North Carolina Apple Blossom Festival - which later changed to the NC Apple Festival - was organized by the Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce, the Blue Ridge Apple Growers Association, and the County Agricultural Extension Service
  • 1950s - Introduction of modern equipment, including speed sprayers and automatic power pruners to area farms
  • 1952 - There were about 180,000 bearing apple trees in Henderson County NC
  • 1954 - NC Apple Growers Association was organized by the Agricultural Department head at NC State University
  • 1958 - Gerber came to Henderson County and selected a site to process local apples, peaches, and many vegetable crops
  • 1959 - Apple growers got together and organized the first apple packing cooperative in Henderson County NC - known as the Western North Carolina Apple Growers Association
  • 1959 - 1960 - Sports apple varieties were planted - Starkcrimson, Red King, Topred, Vance Red Sport and others
  • 1965 - J.N. Major, of Old Virginia, built a juice processing plant at Mountain Home NC - later purchased by Seneca
  • 1976 - Local apple growers organized the Carolina Apple Processing Cooperative known as "CAP"
  • 1978 - Seneca expanded the former J.N. Major juice processing plant
  • 1980s - Western North Carolina Apple Growers Association has about 50 members and was packing 100,000+ bushels of apples and storing more than 150,000 bushels of apples each year
  • 1984 - Carolina Apple Processing Cooperative ("CAP") sold by the growers to H. P. Bomers, Ltd. of Hereford, England which currently operates under the name "All Juice"

More about the History of the Henderson County Apple Industry

 
 
 
Untitled Document
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project - Fresh Produce from North Carolina Farms and Markets

North Carolina Farm Fresh Fruits & Vegetables - Find North Carolina Farm Fresh products of roadside farm markets, pick-your-own farms, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms.

Henderson County NC Cooperative Extension Service - Agricultural Extension Service Blue Ridge Grown - Your guide to fresh, locally grown produce and plants available from the local growers, farms, and nurseries of western NC.