Our History
Since 1984, we have been dedicated to growing the finest varieties of fruit to provide our customers with the highest quality, most flavorful fruit picked at the optimum ripeness.
Orchard History: The oldest trees of County Line Orchard were planted by Rewellien (Rudy) Mohr in 1982. As founder of Mohr Orchards and later part owner of Trexler Orchards, Mohr was one of the horticulturists responsible for the expansion of commercial fruit growing in the Lehigh Valley. The original planting included Nectarines, Apricots, and Rome, Jerseymac, Empire, and Red Delicious Apples.
County Line Orchard 1980s
The stand on State Highway 143 began selling fruit from the farm in 1984. The orchard was operated by the Kistler/Delong family from 1984 until 1987.
In 1987 the orchard was purchased by Todd Smith. During the next two years, he planted peaches and the apple varieties Gala, Jonagold, Stayman Winesap, Cortland, McIntosh, and Prima. In later years, major plantings of various peaches, sweet cherries, pluots, blueberries, Bosc and Bartlett pears, and Keepsake, Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp apples were added. An 8,000 bu cold storage, constructed in the barn during 1996, provided on-site storage to maintain apple quality through the fall.
In Spring of 2021, Todd and Cindy retired from the fruit business and sold the farm to Victor (Wade) and Kimberly Fluke. Wade had begun working for Todd in 2006 following his graduation from Penn State with a degree in Horticulture. During the next fifteen years, Todd was a great teacher and passed on his deep love for fruit growing and for the farm itself. In 2020, Kim jumped headlong into learning how to run a farm market from Cindy. Today Kim, Wade, and their children (Ellie, Myla, and Addy) are working hard to continue the tradition of fine fruit growing and fun that have been passed down to us. Keep an eye out for Todd too - he’s still here, working part-time now, and a constant source of knowledge and support through our transition. Thank you Todd and Cindy!
Earlier History: The farm on the Ontelaunee (Maiden) Creek was an important location for water power in the 19th century. A mill was constructed by Whitman in 1818. In the later 1800s, the stone mill, still standing, was operated by William Moser. He had water-power conveyed to the other farm buildings and was known for producing drilled fence posts.
In 1880, the Berks County Railroad Company laid tracks and built a covered bridge over the Ontelaunee Creek on the property. The covered bridge was replaced in 1918 with a concrete bridge to maintain this important passenger and agricultural-product transportation link between Reading and Lehigh Valley Railroad in Slatington.
The farm is in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch area. Pennsylvania Germans had very diversified, mostly self-sufficient farms and distinctive culture since the 1600s. Notably, Charles E. and Hattie V. C. Lenhart farmed the land from their marriage in 1908 until 1979. They are memorialized with a picture of the homestead on the gravestone in the Red Church cemetery.
