Md. Fruit Growers Head to the Virginias for Tour

Laurie Savage
Maryland Correspondent

WINCHESTER, Va. — A summer fruit tour visited two farm markets that each operate differently yet evolved to meet customers’ wants and needs.

Maryland fruit growers headed to Virginia and West Virginia with stops at fruit farm markets and research facilities. The group also toured the Alson H. Smith, Jr., Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Winchester and USDA’s Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, W.Va.

The July 8 tour was sponsored by the Maryland State Horticultural Society and Maryland Cooperative Extension.

The first stop was along Va. Rt. 522 at the Virginia Farm Market, where the building’s bright red color is hard to miss.

Inside, produce is displayed in baskets, and shelves are packed with apple cider, baked goods, eggs, jarred items, bacon, honey, snacks and gift items.

Owner Joe Lizer said the market started on a two-lane road before moving south in 1986 to the current location, closer to the customers. Sales are holding at $1.2 million and may have increased had the family located more toward the population boom that occurred in another direction.

Open seasonally from April 15 to just after Thanksgiving weekend, the market’s busy sales times are August with peaches and September and October with apples, cider and pumpkins.

Forty percent of yearly sales are in the fall, when 15,000 pumpkins populate the market’s front yard immediately beside the highway.

Some improvements were made during the move, but there are still some changes Lizer said should have been in the mix, including adding heating and air conditioning.

“We did a good job. It’s not perfect, just like any business,” he said.

The market is not open during December holiday season, which at one time accounted for 5 to 7 percent of business. He talked to his staff, who said they wanted to close earlier.

Pricing is another important consideration. Marketers should charge enough.

“You have to take care of family and staff. You have to save for a rainy day,” he said.

The formula for success is to speak to the customer, provide samples, help customers with questions and when customers are ready to check out, help them quickly.

“When they want to give you money, take the money,” he said.

The farm market has not grown its produce since the mid-1960s, but instead buys produce from local farmers. Lizer buys 80 percent of his apples from John Marker, who operates the next stop featured on the tour.

Marker-Miller Orchards is an 800-acre farm of which 350 acres is in active orchard, including 300 acres of apples, 15 acres of peaches and five acres of plums. The remaining acreage is in pasture and farm ground.

The farm market doubled in size and with the improvement, added a larger commercial kitchen for its popular line of baked goods made on site.

At first, the family thought they would sell a few donuts, but the venture blossomed.

“It helps draw people,” Marker said, with 150 to 175 dozen donuts selling on festival weekends.

Open the first of July to Christmas, the market features six to eight festivals, including a fall festival and an upcoming birthday festival to celebrate 100 years.

A pavilion and play area were built among the apple trees to accommodate customers who come for an experience, often spending an entire day on the farm.

Weekend wine tastings featuring fruit wines from Peaks of Otter Winery are popular.

“It brings in another layer of clientele,” Marker said.

An article about work being done at the Appalachian Fruit Research Station is scheduled for an upcoming issue.