Over fall break, Junior Chloe Ringley and I visited McClure’s Orchard. McClure’s Orchard is a family-run apple farm located just off of US Highway 31. According to McClure’s website, it is a fun and festive farm that has been a heart-warming place to go since 1999, when the couple opened it for the public. Whether you are going with someone or taking a solo trip, there are a variety of activities to try.
As you step out of the car, there is an overwhelming smell from the delicious Apple Dumplin Inn. The Apple Dumplin cafe is the restaurant on the farm serving desserts and more! According to McClure’s site, reviews for the farm and the restaurant in general are all high, with many highly recommending the apple dumplings with cinnamon ice cream on top. Many also said they enjoyed bringing their families to the farm. Visitors, from McClure’s website, expressed how the farm had such a “family-friendly vibe,” and “ It’s a wonderful place to visit with family and friends!”.
After hearing all of these wonderful reviews, we were very excited to see if the orchard would justify the praise. We planned to go on a weekday to avoid it being super busy on the weekends. While on the way there, I asked Chloe what she thought the orchard was going to be like, and let’s just say McClure’s beat our expectations by a landslide!
While visiting the farm, we tried everything it had to offer. We first started by visiting the cafe and then going to the barn to look at the animals on the farm. This was followed by a delightful trip into the shop on the farm called “The Apple Barn,” where we bought apple cider slushies and honeycomb. Both were excellent!. We gave the slushies a 10/10 rating. We then picked pumpkins and took many pictures. The farm has numerous photo opportunities for the Facebook moms out there. The owners create different events throughout the year to keep their farm community-oriented. According to McClure’s website, the farm was started as a project by the owners, Jerry and Paige McClure. They started fixing up the old orchard that eventually turned into the lovely McClure’s orchard we know today.
Since then, the couple has added on to their business by opening up a second location in downtown Peru called Toll House. The Toll House has everything you can find in the Apple Barn on the actual orchard. From apples, honey, and cider to trinkets, clothes, and more. Every piece of merchandise is available at both locations. According to McClure’s website, the owner’s reasoning for opening up the Toll House was to “bring our farm to town”.
After we visited the farm, I asked Chloe her favorite part of the experience. She said, “I loved walking through the orchard and absorbing all of the scenery. I also loved the apple cider slushies!” From drinking apple cider slushies to petting animals in the barn, McClure’s Orchard is an overall fun experience for all ages and is definitely worth the stop!
