MY SITE
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Amenities >
      • Cafe
      • Orchard Store
      • Grounds
      • Antique Store >
        • Antique Store
        • Bargain Room
    • U-Pick >
      • Apples
      • U-Pick Schedule
      • Sunflowers
    • COVID-19
    • Orchard Events >
      • Opening Weekend with Sunflowers and Apples (Sept 4-5)
      • Craft Fair, Antiques, and Sunflowers (Sept 11-12)
      • Honey Fest (Sept 18-19)
      • Popcorn Fest (Sept 25-26)
      • Pumpkin Fest (Oct 02-03)
      • Squash Fest (Oct 09-10)
      • Gleaning the Orchard (Oct 16-17)
      • Gleaning the Orchard (Oct 23-24)
      • Gleaning the Orchard, Apples and Antiques (Oct 30 - Oct 31)
    • Birthday Parties, Large Groups & Schools
  • Orchard Online
    • Orchard Store
    • Fresh at the Cafe
    • Prepay for U-Pick
    • Popcorn
    • Prepicked Produce
  • Find Us
  • History
  • More of our Farms
    • Droughtville Farms
    • The Flower Bee U-Pick Flower Farm

our history

Thomas Drought came to Wisconsin and settled on this very land in 1840. He bought the land from the United States Government through a land patent dated December 10, 1840. It was the last great chunk of state land open for sale. Thomas married Caroline in 1842 and along with their twelve children they developed the land and lived a comfortable life because of their untiring labor. Today, this same land is registered as the oldest homestead in Racine County that has remained in the same family name and is currently owned by Jim and Carolyn Drought. Which is why the name Old Homestead for the current orchard operations seemed appropriate. 
There has been an orchard on this land from the beginning which has included apples, pears, plums, berries and nuts. Wesley Drought, Thomas’s grandson, had a strong interest in horticulture and he was continuously adding new fruit and apple varieties to the family orchard. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that Wesley took his orchard to a different level. By this time, he had approximately 50 apple, pear and plum trees that were providing him with a well needed income. Wesley was doing something he had an interest in as well as a passion for. The orchard was Wesley’s pride and joy and he was well known in the area for producing some of the finest apples. Wesley lived and worked on the homestead until his death in 1976. 
Todays orchard only has a few of Wesley’s original trees but the orchard spirit has carried on through the current owner, Jim Drought. After many hours spent working the orchard with him, Jim inherited Wesley’s interest in the orchard. 

This season
​we celebrate
our 76th year

Jim’s wife, Carolyn, continues to evolve the orchard store from the lean-to it was in the beginning into the destination shop it is today. Over the years the Drought children have helped in the endeavor to ensure the tradition continues. 
As Jim inherited the orchard spirit from Wesley, his daughter Lindsey has inherited her orchard spirit from Jim.  Old Homestead Orchard is rich in family and tradition.  Many of the smiling faces helping at the orchard are family (or honorary family) and every apple you pick has been a labor of love since 1832.

Sincerely,
the Droughts

Location

7814 Raynor Ave,
Franksville, WI 53126
conveniently nestled between
​Chicago & Milwaukee, just west of 94
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* Given the exceptionally warm spring and two deep frosts thereafter, apples for picking directly off the trees will likely be available only opening weekend. These apples will be supplemented with bushels of pre-picked apples form another Wisconsin-based, family-owned orchard as long as our loyal customers are interested. Please find these pre-picked bushels throughout the orchard at the bases of our trees.
We look forward maintaining support of your family traditions as you continue to support our family orchard. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our crop this spring due to the blossoms freezing and appreciate your continued patronage. We hope you understand just how crucial your support and hard-earned dollar allocation continues to be. Especially in low-yield years, our trees and grounds incur both operating and health expenses despite a failed crop.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE MAGNIFICENT, THRIVING SUNFLOWER FIELDS TO BEGIN NEW TRADITIONS while you shop the Orchard Store and enjoy all our on-site amenities. 
website proudly designed by M2 Apothecary LLC
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Amenities >
      • Cafe
      • Orchard Store
      • Grounds
      • Antique Store >
        • Antique Store
        • Bargain Room
    • U-Pick >
      • Apples
      • U-Pick Schedule
      • Sunflowers
    • COVID-19
    • Orchard Events >
      • Opening Weekend with Sunflowers and Apples (Sept 4-5)
      • Craft Fair, Antiques, and Sunflowers (Sept 11-12)
      • Honey Fest (Sept 18-19)
      • Popcorn Fest (Sept 25-26)
      • Pumpkin Fest (Oct 02-03)
      • Squash Fest (Oct 09-10)
      • Gleaning the Orchard (Oct 16-17)
      • Gleaning the Orchard (Oct 23-24)
      • Gleaning the Orchard, Apples and Antiques (Oct 30 - Oct 31)
    • Birthday Parties, Large Groups & Schools
  • Orchard Online
    • Orchard Store
    • Fresh at the Cafe
    • Prepay for U-Pick
    • Popcorn
    • Prepicked Produce
  • Find Us
  • History
  • More of our Farms
    • Droughtville Farms
    • The Flower Bee U-Pick Flower Farm