Near the Sierra foothill town of Placerville, just off the beaten path between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe are the Apple Hill Growers, an agriculture community with a rich history in farming and winemaking.
It all began in 1964, when four local farms got together after the devasting loss of their main crop, pears, to a disease called pear blight. Out of this collaboration, the concept of “Ranch Marketing” was born, bringing visitors to the farm to buy products directly from the farmer. The name “Apple Hill” was conceived to encompass the apple farms in the area for marketing this new concept. The original 16 apple farms in the association have grown to over 50 farms, of which, several are women owned and operated! This year (2024) marks the 60th anniversary of the Apple Hill Growers Association.
For me, Apple Hill brings back precious memories of when my sister lived in Placerville, and our families would get together and take a drive to visit apple farms. We played, we talked, we laughed, and we all ate our fair share of apple donuts. Life was good and we were grateful!
Larsen Apple Barn, nestled in the scenic Apple Hill region is located in Camino, California, is the oldest continuously family-owned apple farm in the state and was the first stop on my Apple Hill visit this week.
Ray Larson, third generation apple farmer, was busy sorting apples when I arrived. He showed me around the place, and introduced me to the fourth generation, his son, Scott.
I walked with this little guy to the tasting table where Eric, a longtime employee, was happily sharing his knowledge about the different apples and pears he was slicing for each to taste.
Across from the barn was the museum and as soon as I stepped inside, I was greeted by Eugene Larson, second generation. After he proudly exclaimed that the family farm is just that – a family of six generations, Eugene, a man in his nineties, began to share the story of his family’s journey to Apple Hill.
Back in the 1860s, when Eugene’s parents, first generation, traveled from Norway to reach the then-remote Northern California, they endured many hardships. They took a brief stay in England, where twins were born only to die on the Atlantic crossing. Continuing on they made their way from New Orleans upriver to St. Louis, then crossed overland by wagon, losing another baby along the way.
The farming, however, didn’t begin with apples. The Larsens, the region’s first homesteaders, initially grew what they knew – potatoes. And the first orchard crops weren’t apples, but pears, which increased in acreage as more families settled throughout the late 19th century. More hardship came for the family when the pear orchards were wiped out by a massive blight in the late ’50s and early ’60s.
As I’m listening to Gene, as everyone lovingly calls him, share his heart-felt story, I’m taken back into time in this museum with generations of family and local history on display. A log cabin, covered wagon, antique farm equipment, tools of the trade, doll houses and numerous farming family treasures showcasing the farm’s deep agricultural history are generously shared by the Larsen family.
After the pear devastation, resourceful farmers crafted a new plan to get people to come to them to buy their fruit. Many growers already had a few apple trees, so they knew the crop did well. Indeed, the Camino soil and climate proved ideal for apples. The 3,000-foot elevation provides ample winter chill time (which the trees need to set fruit), eons-ago lava flows have enriched the soil, and the warm summer days balanced with cool evening breezes develop both sugars and acidity, making for maximally flavorful fruit. Thankfully, apple trees were/are not susceptible to the disease affecting pears!
Enterprising farm families took the concept a step further when they started baking, making desserts like pies and turnovers to entice visitors. The idea was so successful that the bakeries could barely keep up with demand.
Offering a rich tradition of apple growing that dates back to 1860, the farm provides visitors with a charming, nostalgic experience. In addition to a wide variety of fresh apples and pears, they offer apple pies, jams, and other homemade goods, making it a perfect stop for families and apple lovers during harvest season. Many of the folks I spoke with told me it has become an annual family tradition to visit Apple Hill.
So, gather the family, take a scenic drive, breath in the fresh air, support our farmers and go make precious memories!
