HARRISBURG, Ore. (KMTR) -- A well-known family-owned western Oregon farm, Detering Orchards, is continuing its tradition of saying thank you to its customers while letting them know they plan to stay in business for many years to come.
The Harrisburg-based farm celebrated its annual Apple Daze customer appreciation day Saturday, October 6.
The event started nearly twenty years ago, but this is the first time the orchard it has been held without the man who created it, Roger Detering. Detering passed away in June at the age of 78.
Now Detering’s kids are now running the farm and say they’ll keep running the business in honor of their family legacy.
Detering became well known in the community for welcoming field trips from local schools, handing out free cobbler to everyone at Apple Daze and giving a free pumpkin to every child all fall season long.
"To keep it going and in memory of Dad and Mom and you know it has been really fulfilling to be able to do this,” said Becky Detering, Roger’s daughter.
“We're grateful that we have so much work to do and that people are wanting to come out here and enjoy the farm experience. It's been pretty incredible and we do want to thank the community for supporting us,” said Greig Detering, Roger’s son.
The orchard is still growing all of the same fruits and vegetables it always has, along with selling apple cider this time of year. Right now, the orchard has an overload of apples, due to a banner year for the harvest as Oregon is in the middle of a record dry spell.
