To Get Better Apples, This Wisconsin Family Decided to Grow Their Own
The Faheys never planned to be farmers. Joe had a career in medicine, and his wife, Jenny, is a CPA.
But a chance decision to grow apples in their backyard turned into an obsession. They bought 80 acres and planted 3,000 trees in 2010, and Peck & Bushel Organic Fruit Company was born.
“I was told by a multitude of people you can’t grow ’em organically here. It’s too hard,” says Joe. “And it is hard! But I’ve been able to turn out some pretty nice fruit.”
The organic part is important—Joe asserts that a freshly picked organic apple tastes like nothing else. The proof is in the crisp-weather crowds that flock to the Fahey farm’s pick-your-own orchard every year.
What started as a single-handed, one-tent operation has expanded to a gorgeous barn that now doubles as an event space. The Faheys’ children, Charlie (20) and Abby (24) (pictured above with Joe and Jenny), come home to help on harvest weekends, and some 30 other part-time employees pitch in as well, tending to the orchard, taking shifts in the store, or making cider and baked goods.
“But nobody is there all the time like Joe is,” says Jenny. Joe acknowledges that he can be driven: “I just want really healthy, clean, delicious fruit.”
The Shop
Built in 2015 to accommodate growing crowds, Joe and Jenny designed the barn themselves with help from Charlie and Abby. “We literally drew it on a piece of paper,” says Jenny.
The family did much of the carpentry and stained and painted all the boards by hand. They now host off-season weddings and parties and have built a second events-only space.
The Selection
The Faheys grow 30 apple varieties, including RiverBelle, Pazazz, and the big draw—Honeycrisp.
“That’s a Minnesota native,” notes Jenny. “They need the cold evenings to make them sweet. Grown here, they taste like Honeycrisps should.”
The Scenery
Every apple from Peck & Bushel’s 40,000-tree orchard is sold on-site. Some go home in pre-packed bags, others end up in the cider and baked goods, but most—about 70 percent—are sold as pick-your-own during the eight or nine weekends of apple season.
“People come from quite a ways,” says Joe. “There aren’t really any other organic orchards in the metro Milwaukee-Chicago area.”
The Sweets
With the help of an army of local moms working during school hours, a barrage of baked goods goes on sale each week: pies, cider donuts, sticky breads, walnut bars, and caramel apples. “We’re always adding new things,” says Jenny.
Four Apple Varieties the Faheys Recommend
SnowSweet: This cold-hardy snacking varietal has snow white flesh that resists browning and a sweet, almost buttery taste with just a hint of tartness.
Liberty: Introduced in 1978, this dark red apple has lots of juice and a slightly sharp taste, making it great in desserts or as applesauce.
Cortland: This quintessentially American apple was developed in New York in 1898. Its juicy flavor and resistance to browning make it good in salads.
Pixie Crunch: Sweet and crunchy, these small, super- juicy apples “taste like a Pixy Stix,” says Jenny. “So they're great for kids who don’t like to eat fruit.”
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