The Community Orchard announced this spring that it will be open for business this Saturday — two months earlier than in previous seasons.

“We are hoping to provide more family activities for Fort Dodge and the surrounding communities in the summer,” said Emily Stucky, who has owned the popular apple orchard north of town with her husband, Denny, for the last two-plus years. “We have a summer menu (of events), which will include some of everyone’s favorite things. But it adds some different stuff that has a little more hint of summer.”

The popular Back 40 playground area will be on a summer schedule, along with the cafe, the market and the Apple Attic. From June 1 through July 31, the Community Orchard’s hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

“We of course won’t have any apples until August, so to satisfy our customers’ sweet tooths, we’re adding an amazing dip ice cream line in the Back 40,” Stucky said. “We’re very excited to add that to our concession options this year. We will have 12 different flavors in a cone or a bowl.”

Stucky also has a number of musical guests lined up. Marques Morel will be the opening act this Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m., with local artists Evan Pratt (June 8), Jared Benson (June 29) and Jessica McClintock (July 13) also slated to perform in the weeks to come.

“Marques Morel is a very talented artist who will play a mixture of country, folk and bluegrass,” Stucky said. “We feel extremely blessed to get him to play here (for opening day). His music is unique, upbeat and just a lot of fun.”

After the completion of the summer schedule, the “Guitar and Grill Out” evenings will be a Community Orchard feature again in September.

“We’re excited to be having the Sunflower Festival this year also, which will include the addition of a field of zinnias to be cut and purchased,” Stucky said. “The corn maze will be utilized to host some evening events intended for grown-ups to get out and have a date or gather with friends. And, of course, we will have Apple Fest again this year (in October).”

Stucky and her family continue to learn the ins and outs of orchard ownership as each day passes.

“We really just jumped right into opening (in 2022) and took off running,” Stucky said. “Greg and Bev Baedke (the property’s previous owners for over 40 years) were and still remain a great help to us. They are a phone call away with answers or advice.

“It’s been a huge learning curve for us, and realistically, (the transition) couldn’t be done without the support of them and many others from in and around the area.”

The Stuckys have focused on building relationships with area businesses in their quest to grow the Community Orchard brand.

“We have either continued or expanded partnerships with many local businesses, from our products being available at Hy-Vee to working with both Soldier Creek Winery and River Hops Brewery in creating Dale’s Apple Ale and Doc Otto’s Hard Cider,” Stucky said. “Many local businesses have also either begun or continued to use us for everything from noon luncheons to gifts for their employees, or for various family or staff appreciation nights at the orchard.

“We have had unbelievable support from our customers as well. It’s never easy for people to experience change, and as much as we want to keep the Orchard the same as it has been for years, we have continued to add value to this place that people enjoy and trust. Fortunately, those changes have been met with nothing but positive comments or encouragement.”

The transition has also strengthened the family bond, according to Stucky.

“We need each other to make this whole thing work,” Stucky said. “Being a mom and dad and running this business takes a lot of teamwork. We’ve seen the value in our children watching us work. Our oldest, Charlie (age 14), has been a great help to us in both the market and cafe area. We have watched her own confidence grow. Our son Jack (12) prefers to work behind the scenes in the kitchen. He is learning how to drive different types of equipment and will help out in the orchard as well. And our youngest, Erin (8) loves to help wherever she can.

“It’s been so much fun watching them figure out what they are good at, learning many new skills that will help them down the road.”

The Community Orchard is located at 2237 160th St. For more information, visit their Facebook page or call (515) 573-8212.