The first part is a set of links to the questions; the second part is the questions and answers themselves.

• How can I get in touch with you?
• How do I get to the orchard?
• What are your hours?
• What is there to do on the weekends?
• Is there food to eat at the orchard?
• What if I just want apples?
• Do you have Granny Smith?
• Do you have apple X?
• When is the best time to visit the orchard?
• How should I store my apples?
• How much spraying do you do?
• Where did all those old buildings come from?
• Who built your wagons?
• How are your animals cared for?
• Where did you get the barnyard animals?
• Can I bring my dog?
• Is your apple cider pasteurized?
• May I bring my own grill to cook my food?
• May I have your donut recipe?
• There's a big barn...
• Are there group discounts?
• Do you have a family pass?
• Do you take credit cards?
• Child carrier or stroller?
• Where can I find out more about...

• Phone: (219) 947-4477
• Fax:     (219) 947-7933
• Email: info@countylineorchard.com
• Email the webmaster: ryan@countylineorchard.com
• Write an old-fashioned letter:

           County Line Orchard
           200 County Line Road
           Hobart, IN 46342
  

Q: How do I get to the orchard?

A: That one's easy. Hop over to our directions page for all the maps you could want.

Q: What are your hours?

A: Somehow you missed them; they're posted back on the main page!

Q: What is there to do on the weekends?

A: Besides picking apples and pumpkins, we've got lots to see and do in the Kid's Farm. It includes chicks hatching, climbing goats, barnyard animals, Peter Pumpkin Eater, the Little Kid's Barnyard (preschoolers only), our hay maze, and lots of picnic tables. Check out the Kid's Farm page for all the details.

That's not all, though. Returning this year is our 15 acre corn MAiZE! We've also got an entire page devoted to Things To Do at the orchard. It even includes a clickable map and an aerial photo.

If you've got a young-un with a birthday in September or October, why not consider a birthday party at the orchard? We've got two packages; one around the Kid's Farm and one around the MAiZE.

For a different orchard experience, try a campfire and hayride. It's a great way for groups to experience the orchard in a friendly, laid-back way.

Q: Is there food to eat at the orchard?

A: Is there food to eat at the orchard! Hoo boy! Here's a sample:

• Fresh baked apple pie (of course!)
• Our warm apple cinnamon donuts
• Fresh baked bread and cookies
• Our own homemade fresh fudge
• Hand-dipped caramel apples
• Fresh apple cider
• Our Country Kitchen serves a variety of lunch items - Including Our Almost Famous Broasted Chicken and a variety of other items. On the weekends our newly expanded Grill is open and serving up brats and angus burgers, chicken breast and veggie burgers and fresh corn on the cob (as available).

A: For apple and pumpkin prices, head over to the Check-out building.

Q: What if I just want apples?

A:What? You've come to our orchard and you're only interested in picking apples? :-) That's fine. It's just a $1/person (3 & Under Free). Bags are free and you can have as many as you need, and you can ride out to the apples and pick to your heart's content.(Apples are $1.50 a pound.)

Q: Do you have Granny Smith apples?

A:We do! We added them a few years ago; before that they were our most-requested apple. Now our first row of Grannies have started producing. We will have a limited supply and will be U-Pick only. Our first row of Granny Smith apples started producing this year, so we will indeed have a limited supply.

Q: Do you have apple X?

A: The best place to answer that question is on our apple page. All the apples we sell are on that list.

Q: When is the best time to visit the orchard?

A: It really depends on what you're looking for. If you want peace and quiet, come on any weekday, after the school tours are finished for the day. Most weekdays we have close to 1000 school kids here until 1 or 2. That means that all the tractors and wagons are dedicated to these tours. You'll enjoy your time a whole lot more if you arrive after 2:30.

If you want an active, busy orchard, then come during the weekends in September and October. There's a lot more to do then, too.

Regardless, we're open from late-August until Oct 31st, seven days a week.

Q:How should I store my apples?

A: So you've gotten your apples home from the orchard, and you want to know how to store them so they'll last until Christmas? The best thing you can do is to keep them in the plastic bag they came in, sprinkle some water on them, and put them in the refrigerator. That's it!

Some apples store better than others. Golden Delicious and Fuji (among others) are noted for their long shelf lives.

Q: How much spraying do you do?

A: As little as we possibly can. We follow the concept of Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. The main principle of IPM says that we monitor the populations of bugs very closely, and spray only when needed, and only for that particular bug. We'd *like* to grow organically, but it is simply impossible to do so in a commercial orchard.

A wealth of information about IPM can be found online at this "Pest Management at the Crossroads" site.

Q: Where did all those old buildings come from?

A: They came from a farm about a mile away that was about to be torn down. For more of the story, see the vintage building section of our history page.

Q: Who built your wagons?

A: We did! They're one of a kind... and the best orchard wagons in existence.

Q: How are your animals cared for?

A: We have one "petting barnyard" employee whose sole responsibility is the animals. They're very well taken care of. Also, the petting barnyard is back in the woods, where there's no direct sunlight...so the animals never overheat or have problems with the harsh summer sun. Dr. Troxel, from Hanna, Indiana, is our veternarian.

Q: Where did you get the barnyard animals?

A: We buy some of them at the beginning of the season, and sell them at the end. Some animals are even rented! (Yes, you can rent animals...)

Q: Can I bring my dog?

A: Sorry, you cannot. We won't even allow our own sweet gentle "Casey" out when we have customers at the orchard. We've had children bitten by customer's dogs in the past, and simply cannot take that chance.

Q: Is your apple cider pasteurized?

A: Yes it is. We've discovered that no one (not even a room full of orchard owners) can tell the difference between pasteurized and non-pasteurized cider. Given the risks of E. Coli, pasteurization is the right thing to do.

Q: May I bring my own grill to cook my food?

A: No, we cannot allow grilling in our picnic area. You are, however, welcome to bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages. Please note that our picnic area is inside the Kid's Farm, so you'll at least have to pay for admission if you'd like to eat in the shade on picnic tables. If you're looking for a park, we can recommend Deep River County Park, which is about 4 miles away.

Q: May I have your donut recipe?

A: We're sorry that we can't give you our donut recipe. We buy a special mix from a small family-owned company in Michigan. What makes them so extra special is all the hard work and love our great donut team puts into each and every one. Plus, you'd need our Belshaw C100 donut machine. *grin* The popularity of our donuts almost makes us wish that we'd planted donut trees instead...

Q: A big barn just appeared in your parking lot!

A: Yes indeed, we adopted a barn. The full story is here.

Q: Are there group discounts?

A: We've recently changed our policy on this. We still welcome groups, but no longer offer a discount.

Q: Do you have a family pass?

A: The family pass is back! It's for the Kid's Farm only. The details are on the Welcome Shed page.

Q: Do you take credit cards?

A: Yes, we accept Visa and MasterCard.

Q: I have a small child/infant, and wonder if I should bring a stroller or a carrier. What would work best?

A: The barn and animal area are wheelchair accessible with paths and an elevator, but we obviously can't pave an orchard or cornfield or a trail in the woods... So it depends on where you would like to spend your time, how heavy your child is, and how long you plan to stay. Lots of people do very well with those strollers with big tires, or put toddlers in pull behind wagons. If you need a baby time-out, and you are female, there is a room off the women's restroom for exactly that purpose. And there are lots of tables in the eating areas for tired parents, too.

Q: Where can I find out more about...

A: One place to check is our resources page. It's got a selection of apple-related books. The other is our web resources page. It's got a whole lot of apple-related links to start you surfing. If you can't find it there, one of the best apple-related sites I've found is applejournal.com.