Building off its iconic success, Wilson's Orchard is expanding into the Des Moines metro

Paul Raasch grew up in a fruit farming family, a fourth-generation harvester who worked in commercial orchards.

Wilson's Orchard, located northeast of Iowa City, has grown significantly since Raasch snatched up ownership duties in 2009, adding a cider house and an event venue.

That sustained success has allowed Wilson's to become a destination for apple pickers in search of a robust and fruitful experience, leading to its westward expansion in Des Moines.

Wilson’s Orchard, located at 4823 Dingleberry Road, has been a Johnson County mainstay since the mid-80s. The 145-acre property was purchased by Robert (Chug) and Joyce Wilson. The couple was searching for a scenic spot to plant an orchard, planting more than 100 different apple varieties to find the best-tasting apples. The orchard was opened to the public in 1985, offering a you-pick experience and selling baked goods like apple pies and turnovers made from excess yields.

When Raasch and his wife Sara Goering took over, they continued the tradition of the orchard but knew developing a one-of-a-kind experience was also possible.

“We really focus on giving people great experiences when they come out,” Raasch said. “Capturing the moment everywhere you turn, we’re trying to give people the kind of experience they want.”

Wilson's accessibility immediately exploded, from a brief three-month widow in the height of apple season to offering an experience for all four seasons. The orchard is a round-the-clock operation with occasional lulls during the winter months. In the spring, guests can pick their own bouquets before heading into the summer, when they can pick strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and early fall apples. The calendar quickly turns toward the fall with apples and pumpkins before wrapping up with Christmas tree picking.

“We try and do more than just be a you-pick farm. We focus on trying to get the best-tasting fruit we can when choosing varieties. The main criteria we look at is it is tasty,” Paul Raasch said. “It would seem to be a very simple thing, but in fact, most of the commercial kind of screening of fruit does not take flavor into account.”

Wilson’s Orchard doesn’t take any shortcuts, Raasch said. They do things the hard way, ensuring that all the bakery items are made from scratch and the apples are perfect for cider. They are keen on local products in their restaurant. If it isn't grown at the orchard, they make sure it comes directly from a local farmer.“We don’t grow vegetables here at [Wilson’s Orchard]," Raasch said. "So we depend on the local growers to provide us with vegetables, but right now, you know, pretty much 100% of every vegetable you buy through this restaurant is going to be local, and a lot of the meat is at least grown in Iowa. We believe in being local for a variety of reasons. Economic, environmental, social, there’s a lot of reasons why we should all be supporting local bar.”

Wilson’s Orchard’s mission is rooted in sustainable farming, providing the community with local produce and providing educational resources about what agriculture is and what it can be.

That is one of the many reasons why the orchard is expanding to Des Moines.

“What we’re doing here [in Iowa City] has gotten a great reception, but it’s a fairly limited population, and at the same time, we look at Des Moines, and we didn’t see anything similar,” Raasch said.

A westward movement

Wilson's new location in Cumming, about 20 minutes outside the Des Moines metro, is a part of Iowa’s only agrihood, Middlebrook. Raasch has planted a second orchard and is building a restaurant and event center, taking Wilson's to the next level.

The Middlebrook agrihood is one-of-a-kind. Raasch describes it as similar to a sub-division with a golf course, but instead of a golf course, there is a farm. The farm centers the community around local agriculture, making it easier to access instead of pushing further from urban spaces.

The new orchard grew organically as Katie and Jacob Goering, the children of Rasch, and his wife, Sara Goering, joined the business, offering new skills and ideas. The family wanted a more sustainable operation, both environmentally and financially.

“We believe in directly connecting with consumers. We believe very strongly that consumers are the engine for change. If we want to change anything in agriculture or our food system that’s going to come from consumers, it’s going to come from what consumers demand,” Raasch said of the importance of the project.

The Cumming orchard will open in the spring of 2024.

A fruitful future

Raasch remains optimistic for the future of farming.

Still, he said it is up to consumers to support local efforts, from the fruit farmers at Wilson’s Orchard to vendors at the local farmers market, and even growing a garden at home.

“Americans are deciding whether we go this way or this way,” Raasch said. “When you come out to a place like Wilson’s, there’s any myriad of things you can do to support a different kind of agricultural model, but that’s up to all of us.”

During peak apple season, Wilson’s Orchard is the busiest, but there are activities for everyone.

Raasch says the perfect day at the Orchard starts with arriving in the morning, which is the best time to pick fruit. From there, guests can grab lunch at the cider house along with a sustainably produced cider. The afternoon often offers special events, like nighttime hayrides or live music.

Wilson’s Orchard is open year-round, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: With an eye on innovation, Wilson's Orchard is expanding to Des Moines