Burnham Orchards in Berlin Heights is open year-round with apples and more

Burnham Orchards, 8019 State Route 113 in Berlin Heights, serves as a year-round destination not only for apples but other items such as baked goods and hard cider, and community events.

Burnham’s offers a wide selection of home-grown apples, depending on availability, according to Alexis Burnham, chief operations officer for Burnham Orchards.

Some apples now available are pink lady, Fuji, empire, granny smith, golden delicious, gala and McIntosh, Burnham said.

“It’s pretty unique because the process of which we pick them, clean them, polish them and store them, allows us to carry eight different varieties year-round,” she said. “During the fall time, too, we have certain orchards that are just for pick-your-own.”

The farm also produces four types of “premium, renowned apples” including honeycrisp, rosalee, ludacrisp and evercrisp, according to Burnham.

Since the farm is over 200 years old and in its seventh generation of operation, the family has been able to maintain an older apple variety, called Stayman Winesap, that is an uncommon find, she said.

“It’s a firm, sort of spicy, baking type of apple, and it’s not one that a lot of farmers still carry; it’s kind of an older variety,” Burnham said. “That’s an exciting one for us.”

Other produce at the farm includes peaches, blackberries and cherries, all of which are seasonal, she said, but the quality level is something that makes Burnham’s renowned.

As part of the winter season, the farm has started two different events that are free and open to the public.

They are Sample Saturdays and Try-A-Pie Sundays, according to Burnham.

“Every weekend, for free, you can come out and try different things we have in the market,” she said.

In the market, guests will find a bakery and tap room, both featuring homemade products and items grown on the farm, Burnham said.

Hard apple cider is made on-site from Burnham’s apples.

Bakery items include cookies, cupcakes, doughnuts and pies.

“What we’re most well-known for from the bakery, is our pies and our apple fritters,” she said. “People drive all the way from Michigan on baking days throughout the whole year just to get our pies.”

For the upcoming year, Burnham said guests can look forward to new products, a bakery expansion and new events like a series of movie nights and a Meet-the-Baker event, for those who have questions about bakery item recipes.

“We have been sort of a mentor to the community in that way (for recipes), so we look forward to continuing that,” she said. “Everything we’re doing is to get us to bring people in.”

Burnham Orchards has its fair share of community outreach through nonprofits, fundraising and sponsoring organizations and sports teams, Burnham said.

“We’re always looking for new ways to be involved in the community,” she said.

To keep up with events and activities at Burnham’s, visit burnhamorchards.com.