When the temperature drops and the leaves begin to change color, it means the season of fall is here as people start spending time on pumpkin patches and apple orchards. Running an orchard is oftentimes a generational operation, however, for Rick Camp of Camp’s Orchard, it was something he fell into.
“We didn’t buy this [land] to do an orchard, we bought this just because we wanted the property. There was an orchard here prior to us and local people asked us to bring that orchard back. We just started pruning, working with the trees, and buying equipment, and eased into it.”
When it came to getting the orchard off the ground, Camp said they took advantage of the resources available through the University of Illinois Extension, chemical reps, and others who have found success in the industry over generations.
“When we started there were days when we would sit out here all day long for half a dozen customers. Now on weekends, there will be several thousand people through. My wife and I, when we started, both had jobs away from the orchard so we didn’t need that immediate income. That allowed us to let all the income the orchard generated be put back in to purchase more equipment and expand.”
Camp’s Orchard is open seasonally from Labor Day through Thanksgiving, weather permitting.
