Sustainability at Liberty Apple Orchard

Supporting the Local Economy

Liberty Apple Orchard is owned and cared for by Lugene and Steve Miller. But we certainly could not do it alone and greatly appreciate the dedication and hard work of more than a dozen high school, college and retired folks who help us maintain the orchard, keep our guests safe, and help them find and carry apples. Our orchard strives to support the local economy by hiring students from local schools or home school groups. In many cases we are providing local young folks with their first jobs. We try to assist them as they develop by providing recommendations for college, scholarships, and future jobs. We are very happy to see many of our employees go on to careers in engineering, finance, accounting, journalism, nursing, plumbing and other professions. In our first ten years of operation, Liberty Apple Orchard employed 60 high school, college and retired folks from the community.

We also support the regional economy by purchasing products, such as cider and gourmet popcorn, for resale from local farms and small businesses.

Serving our Community

One of our objectives is to provide educational opportunities for school and civic groups. In years prior to the pandemic, we had over 800 pre-school and elementary students on field trips to the orchard to learn how apples grow. We are looking forward to a return of “normal,” including school field trips in 2023. We also have had the Edwardsville CEO program, consisting of high school seniors, visit the orchard the last three years to learn about growing an orchard and a business.

The orchard has served as a venue to host fund raising events for the American Cancer Society (2022), Friends of Kids with Cancer (2019) and the Hospice of Southern Illinois (2018). This year the American Cancer Society benefit will be held on September 16, 2023.

We also strive to serve our community by providing donations of fresh apples to Metro-East and St. Louis area food pantries. We have formed a partnership with Operation Food Search who brings volunteers to help glean apples during the season. In our first ten years, Liberty Apple Orchard has donated over 75,000 pounds of apples to those in need in our community.

As a U-pick orchard, our guests have an opportunity to experience first-hand our sustainability practices. If you would like further information on our sustainability programs, please contact us at j5fourj@gmail.com or visit with us at the orchard. Your thoughts are always welcome on ways that we can continue to preserve the environment, support the local economy and serve our community.