Fifer Orchards was started in 1919 by Charles Frederick Fifer who moved his family to Kent County, Delaware from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.  With a goal and belief in crop diversification, farmland stewardship, and to grow quality fruits and vegetables, he purchased 300 acres of land and put this into practice according to the “History” section on Fifer Orchards website.   Now being run by third and fourth generation family members, the beliefs set forth by Charles Frederick Fifer are still apparent.  Fifer Orchard is G.A.P (Good Agricultural Practices) Certified and they have their own solar farm near Woodside, DE.  The solar farm has 2,000+ solar panels that allows them to harvest 110% of their energy needs and provide clean and sustainable energy through renewable solar technology for not only their farm, but also for the community.  Fifer’s Orchards currently has three locations where their produce and products can be purchased and many of their products can also be found at local grocery stores.  Each location has something a little bit different to offer and many great products for customers.

Fifer’s Farm Store is located west of Dover and is open from 9AM to 6PM from April through December.  Here you can enjoy locally sourced treats such as hand-dipped ice cream made by Vanderwende Farm Creamery and Ice Cream in Greenwood, roasted coffee from Rise-Up Coffee Roasters in Easton, MD, milk in glass bottles from Homestead Creamery, and fresh-roasted and cinnamon glazed nuts.  In their store you can not only find local produce but also local meats, cheeses, baked goods such as their famous apple cider donuts, specialty goods like apple butter, and much more.  They also host seasonal events and patrons can also partake in U-Pick.  U-Pick allows for patrons to pick seasonal crops straight from their fields and orchards (depending on what is available that season) for an admission fee of $1.95 per person three years of age and older on Monday through Friday or $2.95 per person three years of age and older on Saturday.  There is a minimum purchase for patrons partaking in U-Pick.  For example, blueberries and zinnias are currently in-season so there must be a minimum purchase of one container of blueberries per family or ten zinnia blooms.  For those who really enjoy the U-Pick experience, there is a U-Pick loyalty punch card which gives patrons free admission for every third visit.  If you start feeling famished after perusing the store and picking out flowers and produce, Fifer’s Farm Store also has lunch available from 11AM to 2PM that includes frozen drinks, apple cider donuts, crab cakes, burgers, chicken tenders, wraps, pizza, and hummus platters.

The Dewey Beach Store is open from 8AM to 5PM and is located along the northbound lane of Route 1.  Similar to Fifer’s Farm Store, the Dewey Beach Store offers fresh produce as well as local goods that you can purchase and bring with you as you head towards your vacation destination.  If you need a caffeinated pick-me-up, not only can you purchase a bag of Rise-Up Coffee, but you can also take a cup to-go or try out their draft nitro coffee.  There is an extensive breakfast menu that consists of breakfast sandwiches, bagels, acai bowls, and signature sandwiches such as the Farmer’s Tan which is described as having a pile of bacon loaded up on a toasted English muffin with Fifer’s Apple Butter on it or the Slower Lower which has a generous helping of Delaware scrapple in between an apple cider donut.  In addition to the signature breakfast sandwiches, there are several signature lunch sandwiches as well!  With sandwiches such as Aunt Bessie, Spicy Blue Hen, and Tuscan Farm House and more familiar lunch delights such as hot dogs, peanut butter and jelly, and grilled cheese sandwiches, there is something for everyone.

If you are looking for a quick treat, stop by the Fifer’s Mobile Donut Kitchen.  Located at 514 E Savannah Road in Lewes, you can get apple cider donuts that are made on-site, kettle corn, coffee, cold drinks such as apple cider, and other seasonal items.  The Fifer’s Mobile Donut Kitchen is open seasonally, so be sure to stop by and give them a try if you see them!

If you find yourself in love with their famous apple cider donuts and kettle corn and want to share your love of them as a favor for your next special event, you’re in luck!  With a minimum order of 50 bags, you can purchase bags of kettle corn with a customized sticker on them.  Stickers can include names, dates, and anything else clients would like to have added to the label.  Clients have a choice of either original or caramel flavor and the favors are easy to transport in cardboard boxes.  Apple cider donuts can be purchased in bulk of five dozen or more and come in standard or mini size.  If you are interested in fundraising opportunities for an organization or school, Fifer Orchards can help with that, too.  Fifer Orchards offers their kettle corn for fundraising opportunities and provides both supply information and order sheets for the organization to do pre-order purchase and help set sales goals.  If your organization is interested in buying kettle corn ahead of time and setting up a table to sell at an event, they can do that as well.  For this, there is a choice between their original, caramel, or custom-colored kettle corn and customized stickers or labeling can be created.  For more information about these opportunities and pricing you can call 302-697-2141 or you can contact Jessica by email at jessica@fiferorchards.com.

If you live close by or are passing any of these locations for Fifer Orchards, stop by and have a look!  If you are curious to find out more, please feel free to follow the link below to their website which was also the source for the information used in this article.  Until next time, thank you for reading and we on The Julie Gritton Team look forward to hearing from you soon!

https://www.fiferorchards.com/