Homestead Orchard

Homestead Orchard is a historic farm where the land has been continuously farmed since 1839, making it one of the oldest agricultural sites in the area. This quiet orchard offers a peaceful country setting where visitors can pick 15 varieties of apples and pears. The property features one of the oldest and largest maple trees in McHenry County, under which visitors can relax and enjoy nature.

The farm’s 1880s horse barn has been converted into a charming store featuring hand-crafted items, glassware, and antique furniture for sale. The orchard maintains its own bee hives, selling clover honey starting in August and wildflower honey later in the summer. All beeswax candles are made one at a time by hand in natural light yellow or dyed colors, burning very clean and slow without dripping unless in a draft.

Homestead Orchard is in the process of grafting different heirloom apples, some dating back to colonial times, including varieties like Spitzenburg (Thomas Jefferson’s favorite from 1790), Baldwin from Massachusetts (1740), Wolf River from Wisconsin (1860s), Snow Apple from Quebec (1600s), Cox’s Orange Pippin from England (1830), and Gravenstein planted in northern California as early as 1850.

The orchard is open Monday through Saturday from 10am-4pm and Sunday from 12pm-4pm during the season. For insurance reasons, no dogs are allowed in the orchard. The farm is located at 11802 Charles Road in Woodstock, Illinois, and can be reached at (815) 338-7443 or via email at donburda@comcast.net.