COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — When it comes to apples, it’s hard to find anyone who knows more than Lyle Ditmars.
It started in 1993. Ditmars wanted to find something he could do with his four children. After securing land in Council Bluffs, he and his family planted 300 apple trees the following year.
Now, almost 30 years later, the family operation a Orchard and vineyard Ditmars it has evolved into something that was never imagined.
“I thought we’d plant a few trees, pick some apples and sell them,” Ditmars said. “It didn’t seem like a big deal, but it’s turned into a lot more.”
How much has grown on apple trees alone?
“We have about 4,500 trees in total,” he said. “I know the next question you’re going to ask yourself is, ‘Do you handpick them?’ Yes, we do. Each, one at a time.”
Although not all ripe at the same time, the trees in the orchard consist of more than 30 different varieties of apples.
3 News Now anchor Zach Williamson has tried four right off the tree.
“When you get a new one off the tree, you’re alive,” Ditmars said.
Ditmars Orchard has fresh apples that you can buy in their stores, but you also have the option of picking.
“When you see a little kid run out with an apple, it’s great.”
Inside the store you can find everything made with apples. You can also see them making their own apple cider.
“It’s actually real apple juice. The stuff you buy at the store that’s called apple juice isn’t really apple juice, it’s made from concentrate,” Ditmars said.
However, it’s far from just apples. Ditmars grows strawberries, pears, cherries, pumpkins, peppers and tomatoes, just to name a few.
“You can come here and get a bushel of tomatoes for 50 cents a pound,” he said. “There aren’t many places you can go to buy tomatoes at 50 cents a pound.”
The product is not the only one you can choose. They also grow a long list of flowers.
“We have a lot of moms come out, bring their little ones and say let’s pick a bouquet for grandma or mom or whatever,” Ditmars said. “Kids will come in and they’re just tickled pink because they’ve never seen or had a chance to do things like this.”
The fun for kids doesn’t stop there.
“Then we added a playground, then we added tractor rides and barrel wagon rides and bounce houses.”
Throw in a ten-acre corn maze and 14 goats, which are basically familiar now.
“You’ve got Eddy and Merrick and Hellen and Carl, you’ve got them all out there.”
There is also fun reserved for adults.
“Now we work with a winery. We provide them with the product and they do the fermentation”.
In the new wine tasting room, you can try a couple of wine flights, and even some hard cider.
Ditmars’ number one seller, however, is something everyone can enjoy.
“Then, of course, we got into the doughnuts,” he said.
They make thousands and thousands of boxes of donuts every week.
“We not only sell them here, but also at Hyvee grocery stores,” Ditmars said.
There is something for everyone in the garden.
“People come out and say, ‘we can’t wait to come out because we never know what new thing you’re going to add.’ We like to see that,” Ditmars said. “We have a lot of friends.”
Ditmars Orchard and Vineyard also offers a full lunch and dinner menu, along with ice cream and cakes.
Friday nights host live music and other community events. Below you will find the hours of the orchard.
To know more about Ditmars Orchard and Vineyard or to check upcoming events, click here.
