When you drive north into Door County, one of the first things you’ll notice is the orchards. Lush rows of cherry trees line many of the county's roads, and in July and August, they deliver a bounty of deep red, tart cherries. Some orchards let visitors wander through the trees and pick buckets of cherries to take away, for a small fee.
Lautenbach's Orchard Country Winery & Market is one of those orchards. It has been growing fruit for decades and it not only delivers fresh cherries by the pailful, but it also sells a wide variety of cherry products and fruit wines. It’s a must-visit spot in Door County, especially during summer cherry season.
There’s a long cherry-growing history in Door County. In the 1800s, immigrants struggled to grow crops in the county's shallow, rocky soil. They discovered that fruit trees prospered.
Eventually, large-scale cherry growing operations could be found throughout the county. The most common type of cherry grown, by far, is the tart Montmorency variety – it accounts for 95 percent of the state’s cherry crop.
Lautenbach’s was established in 1955 when commercial cherry growing was booming in Door County. It’s still a working fruit farm but offers much more today than cherries. It also grows apples, grapes, raspberries, and pears.
But cherries are the main act during the peak of summer. Pick enough for a snack, or pick more and make some pies or a traditional cherry bounce. No matter how many you put in the bucket, there’s nothing more relaxing than picking your own cherries in a Door County orchard!
A farm market has been operating at the orchard since 1975. It sells cherry pie, along with artisan cheese, jams and preserves, salsas and sauces, pie fillings, wine accessories, gifts, and of course, cherries.
In 1985, Lautenbach’s launched a winery. It’s located in a restored dairy barn and it produces wines right at the orchard. You can participate in a tasting and purchase bottles – they have dry and sweet wines as well as sparkling and spiced varieties.
The orchard is located right on Highway 42, just south of Fish Creek. While cherry season passes quickly, if you miss the cherries, Wisconsin apple season follows on its heels. Here are 10 apple orchards that will have some crisp fruit waiting for you.
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