Jul 18, 2008

Western Iowa Farm Market Dips its Toe into Agritourism

Lyle Ditmars says there are three questions customers ask him the most: 1) Can we pick our own? 2) How do we get to your orchard? 3) What do you have for the kids to do?

The owner – with his wife, Debbie – of Ditmars Orchard in Council Bluffs, Iowa, gives his customers the following answers: 1) Yes, you can pick your own. 2) We’ll give you directions that are easy to follow, but beware Mapquest and other Internet map services. They’ll get you here, but in a roundabout way. 3) The kids can spend time in the play area, go through the corn maze, pick fruit or take a hay ride. There’s plenty for them to do (which makes their parents happy, Lyle said).

Lyle, 57, and his family bought 170 acres in the hills of western Iowa in 1993. Unlike a lot of orchard owners, he doesn’t have a farming background. He’s an attorney, but he’s good at growing things. That’s what got him into fruit trees. The concept of maintaining an orchard was appealing. It brought to his mind words like “wholesome,” “family” and “neat.”

They started out planting 300 trees. It was mainly a family project in the beginning, but Lyle had dreams of the farm becoming a commercial enterprise. He knew it would take years, but the more the family got into it, the more exciting the idea became.

“You get a sense of accomplishment doing it with your family,” he said. “They’re right there with you.”

The orchard taught his four kids – three boys and one girl – how to work. Some of them still help out on the farm, he said.

The family kept planting every year, and now has more than 4,000 fruit trees spread over 30 acres. The main crop is apples, but there also are peach, cherry, plum and apricot trees. They also grow 4 acres of pumpkins. They rent out much of their land to a neighboring farmer who grows corn and beans, Lyle said.

Though the orchard has been growing steadily, not every decision the family has made has turned out perfectly. There have been some detours. For example, Lyle planted Christmas trees in the beginning, but found he didn’t like taking care of them. He likes trees that bear stuff you can eat – like fruit trees.

They started dipping their toes into agritourism about five years ago. Most of their customers come from nearby Omaha, Neb., and the Ditmars do their best to give them a genuine orchard experience. They try to give everybody a hay ride up into the orchard to pick fruit, even though there are trees within walking distance of the market. They want their customers to relax, talk a bit and get a feel for the landscape – which is quite picturesque. Most of the fruit trees are on hills overlooking the market building, which was built six years ago, Lyle said.

The market contains a country kitchen, cider operation and retail area that sells jams, jellies, gourmet sodas, hand-poured candles and other items, according to the orchard’s Web site.

Just behind the market are picnic tables, with a nice view of part of the orchard, and the play area, which is great for keeping kids occupied. The corn maze is on the other side of the market. Overall, the business has a tidy, well-kept appearance.

“We’re proud of our place,” Lyle said.

Ditmars hosts corporate outings, school tours and church groups. The owners try to find activities that “fit” the farm, Lyle said. Bluegrass and folk bands play there often. A balloon club offers hot air balloon rides at the orchard during certain times of the year, and the Midwest Winds Kitefliers have performed there as well, according to the Web site.

The busy season is August through October. Last year was bad, because Ditmars lost 95 percent of its fruit due to weather, but Lyle expects at least 20,000 visitors this year. Fortunately, the orchard hasn’t been affected by the flooding that hit eastern Iowa so hard this year.

The main problem with being an agritourism business in Iowa is the lack of a viable liability insurance program. It makes getting into the industry a daunting prospect. The Iowa Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association is working on improving the situation, he said.

Lyle still works as an attorney in Council Bluffs, where he’s been practicing law for more than 30 years. Between that and running the orchard, 12-hour days are the norm. Sooner or later, he’d like the orchard to be his full-time endeavor. It’s more fun.

“People come to lawyers because they’re having trouble,” he said. “People come to the orchard for entirely different reasons. It’s a pleasure to have them.”

In the meantime, Debbie runs the market when it’s open and working in the orchard is a full-time job for their middle son, Lyle said.