Apple Ridge Orchard expands with new property acquisition and exciting plans for the future

SIKESTON — Apple Ridge Orchard in Sikeston has many new things in store in the near future with one being they are expanding.

Just recently, Apple Ridge owners Trey and Ashley Wilson had the opportunity to purchase the property directly in front of their orchard, which is located at 3887 State Highway BB in rural Sikeston.

The property they purchased is a small, three-bedroom house with an unfinished basement that sits on four acres.

According to Trey Wilson, the house they purchased was built sometime around the 1930s-1940s. Originally, the property was the McCoy farm that was called Clover Lawn Farm.

“It was a chicken and row crop farm,” Wilson said. “They would take the chicken eggs to the basement in this house. They would sort them, process them or whatever and then big trucks would pull up here and they would load the trucks up.”

According to Ashley Wilson, the orchard property was also originally a part of the McCoy farm.

Mrs. Wilson said they officially closed on the property Monday, March 10.

“We plan to expand and put our general store up there and then use the store that we are using now for baked goods, like for pies and stuff that we can make with our own fruits that we grow,” Mrs. Wilson said. “In the general store, we will have knick-knacks, clothes, soap, kitchen accessories, T-shirts, ice cream, produce and more.

According to Mrs. Wilson, she and her husband estimate to have everything up and running with the new general store in December.

Mrs. Wilson also gave an update on the new barns they relocated to the orchard. A little over a year ago, they purchased two old barns and had them transported to the orchard. The Wilsons bought the old barns from the Edwards family farm on Highway ZZ across the road and into the field.

The Wilsons have been renovating and working on the barns since they purchased them.

Mrs. Wilson said work on the two barns continues, but this past Halloween, they did use a barn for a haunted house.

“We eventually plan to use it for many events,” Wilson said. “We have had one lady rent the barn for a birthday party. And we will have a private event outside attached to the barns.”

Mrs. Wilson, her husband and her sister, Angee Davis said they also have big plans for this coming Christmas in December as well.

According to Davis, they plan to have many Christmas ornaments, and they will have a Christmas lighted walkway throughout the farm.

Also coming up, Mrs. Wilson said they will have their first-ever strawberry festival May 3-4.

“We will have craft vendors and food vendors,” Harley said. “We will also have bouncy houses, face painting, live entertainment and we also will have ponies and horses out here to ride.”

Wilson said at the festival, individuals will be able to purchase strawberries.

“They can pick their own strawberries, purchase strawberries, and we are going to have strawberry-based appetizers and drinks.”

According to Mrs. Wilson, people will also be able to see the Orchard’s goats and feed them.

There will be a $10-admission fee cash or card, and children ages 3 and under are free. Mrs. Wilson added the horses and ponies is a non for profit, and it will cost a $10-donation to ride the animals.