How We Grow Apples & Press Cider at Sunrise Orchards
Welcome to Sunrise Orchards! We’ve been growing apples here for over 112 years, and we’re so glad you came to visit. Located high on the hills above the Kickapoo River, our orchards offer breathtaking panoramic views of the Driftless Region. Our work begins long before the apples are ready to eat, ensuring every bite is fresh, crisp, and full of flavor.
From December through April, we carefully prune each apple tree using hand tools. It’s a big job, but it’s essential for growing the perfect crop. Each year, we also plant up to 10,000 new dwarf trees. Planted close together, these young trees are ready to produce fruit within just two years.
Pruning Tree in Early Spring
Planting New Apple Trees
In spring, the orchard bursts into blossoms, and bees are brought in to pollinate the trees. The air smells sweet, and the hills come alive with color. Young trees are tied to trellises and stakes to help them grow strong, while their limbs are carefully trained to keep the trees small yet fruitful. Throughout the season, the orchard is mowed, weeds are managed, and insects are carefully monitored. Many of our trees are irrigated, ensuring that even in a dry year, the apples thrive.
When harvest arrives, our apples are picked by hand, with our crew gently filling bins one apple at a time. Some of our pickers have been with us for over 25 years! The apples are cooled immediately and stored at 34 degrees—the perfect temperature to maintain freshness. Our coolers can hold up to 80,000 bushels. Each apple is carefully sorted by both our dedicated team and state-of-the-art equipment. Every year, Sunrise Orchards undergoes USDA and third-party inspections to ensure the highest standards of food safety.
Fresh cider is pressed once or twice a week—apples are ground, pressed, and flash-pasteurized with nothing added. It doesn’t get any fresher than that! And of course, our legendary cider donuts are made daily. We can make 600 dozen in an hour, and they disappear quickly! You’ll also find our cider featured in a apple cider donuts, slushies, supreme slushie, apple butter, and more.
Sunrise Orchards proudly grows over 25 different apple varieties throughout the harvest season. Our apples are perfect for eating fresh, baking, freezing, canning and pickling, so there’s something for everyone’s taste! We offer apples in a variety of sizes to suit your needs: 3-apple bags, 5-pound, 10-pound, half bushels, and full bushels. To see when each variety is available see our Apple Availability page. From our apples we make a variety of products including the Queen's Apple and Caramel Apples.
Our apples and cider can also be found in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota in stores.
From our family to yours — thank you for visiting Sunrise Orchards. We hope you enjoyed learning how we bring you apples, cider, and donuts — year after year.
