Three Springs Fruit Farm

What Three Springs Fruit Farm does

Three Springs Fruit Farm is a seventh-generation family farm operating from Aspers in Adams County, Pennsylvania, on nearly 500 acres of orchards, vegetable ground, and small fruit. Founded as a formal partnership in 1984 with family ties to a farm established in 1901 and a Wenk farming lineage dating to 1817, the operation grows more than 30 apple varieties alongside peaches, nectarines, cherries, pears, berries, heirloom tomatoes, and assorted vegetables. The underlying production technology is an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system built on pheromone mating disruption, an 80+ trap monitoring network checked weekly, biological control (including a cultivated T. Pyri mite predator population), and reduced-risk spray applications, supplemented by a five-year voluntary Primus Labs food safety audit program.

The company sells primarily direct-to-consumer through seven weekly farmers markets across the Mid-Atlantic (Philadelphia, central Pennsylvania, Towson, Frederick, Greenbelt, Silver Spring, and Columbia Heights). Wholesale delivery to restaurants and bakeries in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC provides a B2B channel, while the sister-company Keystone Sutler online storefront handles pre-orders for market pickup and sales of pantry products (jams, ketchups, sauces, preserved fruits), Ploughman Cider beverages, and merchandise. Revenue mechanics are unit-based retail and wholesale pricing with no disclosed subscription or recurring contract structure, and CSA-style Winter Buyers Club arrangements extend cash flow into off-season months. Customer segments span individual urban/suburban consumers, restaurant and bakery buyers, craft cider producers, and specialty pastry chefs seeking heritage and culinary apple varieties.

The farm is a privately held family partnership with no external investors, no funding rounds disclosed, and control concentrated across the Wenk family including Dave Wenk (Grower, Partner), John Wenk (Grower), and seventh-generation Ben Wenk (Grower, Retail, Wholesale Delivery, Partner), supported by Penn State-trained agronomy expertise and longstanding ties to Penn State's Fruit Research and Extension Center. 335 acres of the footprint are legally preserved farmland, locking in long-term agricultural use of the asset base.

Name

Three Springs Fruit Farm

Legal name

Three Springs Fruit Farm

Website

https://threespringsfruitfarm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Three Springs Fruit Farm is a seventh-generation family farm in Adams County, Pennsylvania, producing apples, stone fruit, berries, heirloom tomatoes, and vegetables on nearly 500 acres and selling direct to consumers at seven weekly Mid-Atlantic farmers markets and via its Keystone Sutler sister-company storefront.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fruit Farming

NAICS

Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113), Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230), Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033)

akta.pro primary industry

Pome Fruit Orchards (Apples, Pears, Quinces) (AFAGACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stone Fruit Orchards (Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Cherries, Apricots) (AFAGACAC), Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries) (AFAGACAD), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE), Fresh Fruit Wholesale (AFAIACAA), Canned Fruits Manufacturing (AFAKACAA)

Keywords

• Fresh tree fruit
• Fruit farming
• Farmers market produce
• Apple varieties
• Pantry preserves

Headquarters

HQ city

Aspers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Retail: Direct sales of fresh tree fruit, vegetables, berries, and heirloom tomatoes at farmers markets. Products sold at 6+ weekly farmers markets in the Mid-Atlantic region (Pennsylvania, Maryland, DC area).
2. Pantry Products: Value-added products including jams, ketchups, sauces, and preserved fruits made from peak season produce. Sold through sister company Keystone Sutler online platform.
3. Wholesale Delivery: Wholesale opportunities for local fruits and vegetables delivered to businesses in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC metro areas.
4. Apple Cider Products: Fresh cider and cider products. Partnership with Ploughman Ciders for cider sales.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Three Springs Fruit Farm grows and sells fresh tree fruit (peaches, nectarines, cherries, pears, berries, and over 30 apple varieties), fresh vegetables and heirloom tomatoes, and value-added pantry products (jams, ketchups, sauces, preserved fruits). Products are sold direct-to-consumer at six weekly farmers markets across the Mid-Atlantic and via sister company Keystone Sutler's online store, with wholesale delivery to local businesses in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC metro areas.

Product overview

Three Springs Fruit Farm is a seventh-generation family farm offering a diversified portfolio of agricultural products. Their core offerings include fresh tree fruit (peaches, nectarines, cherries, pears, berries, and over 30 apple varieties), fresh vegetables and heirloom tomatoes, and pantry products (jams, ketchups, sauces, and preserved fruits). All products are available through their sister company Keystone Sutler's online store, while fresh produce is sold directly at farmers markets across the Mid-Atlantic region including Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Keystone Sutler: Sister company that sells Three Springs Fruit Farm pantry items, fresh produce, and Ploughman ciders online.

Products and services

• Fresh Tree Fruit Fresh tree fruit including peaches, nectarines, cherries, pears, berries, and more than a dozen types of apples sourced from the farm's 200-year-old Adams County orchards, sold at farmers markets and via online pre-order.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Keystone SutlercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company that handles all online sales for Three Springs Fruit Farm products including fresh produce, pantry items, Ploughman ciders, and merchandise. Operates as the e-commerce platform enabling customers to pre-order for farmers market pickup.
• Ploughman CidercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister company producing ciders from Three Springs fruit. Their products are available through Keystone Sutler alongside Three Springs produce. Cider varieties utilize heritage apple varieties including Gravenstein and Ashmead's Kernel.
• Knouse Foods CooperativeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal growers' cooperative (makers of Lucky Leaf and Musselman brand products). In 1984, Three Springs leased 86 additional acres of apples from Knouse Foods, enabling business expansion. Emily Wenk's father worked as a food technologist at Knouse Foods.
• Penn State Fruit Research and Extension CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with Penn State FREC in Biglerville, PA. Multiple Wenk family members have worked at the facility. The Nittany apple originated at this research center. Three Springs partners with the lab to test applied scientific trials on their farm.
• Primus LabsminorOthersThird-party food safety audit provider. Three Springs is a voluntary five-year participant in Primus Labs food safety audits.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lyman Orchards: Connecticut family orchard with farm market, pick-your-own, and bakery operating since the 1700s. Comparable on multi-generational heritage, pome and stone fruit mix, and direct-to-consumer farm-market retail.
• Baugher's Orchard & Farm: Long-running Maryland family orchard with farm market, restaurant, and bakery. Directly comparable Mid-Atlantic family farm operating a combined fresh-produce and value-added retail destination.
• Milburn Orchards: Multi-generation family orchard in Cecil County, MD with on-farm market, bakery, and seasonal events. Directly comparable on geography (Mid-Atlantic), ownership structure (family), and farm-market retail model.
• Tougas Family Farm: Massachusetts family farm with pick-your-own fruit, vegetables, and farm bakery. Comparable on multi-generational family operation, diversified fruit/vegetable mix, and farm-market-driven retail.
• Catoctin Mountain Orchard: Maryland family orchard operating a farm market with tree fruit, berries, and value-added goods. Closely comparable on Mid-Atlantic geography, family-farming scale, and retail-channel structure.
• Butler's Orchard: Family farm in Germantown, MD with pick-your-own fruit, vegetables, and farm market. Comparable on family-ownership model, Mid-Atlantic location, and direct retail focus.
• Homestead Farm: Family-owned orchard and farm market in Montgomery County, MD. Directly comparable Mid-Atlantic family orchard with on-farm retail and similar apple/peach/berry product mix.
• Weaver's Orchard: Family-owned Pennsylvania orchard operating a farm market with pick-your-own fruit, bakery, and value-added products. Most directly comparable Mid-Atlantic peer: family farm, similar crop mix, and similar retail-led go-to-market.

Broad incumbents

• Stemilt Growers: Large vertically integrated tree-fruit grower and packer with branded apples, pears, cherries, and stone fruit. Comparable as a much larger scale operator in the same core commodity (apples, pears, cherries) but with national rather than farmers-market distribution.
• Knouse Foods Cooperative: Grower-owned cooperative producing Lucky Leaf and Musselman's fruit-based products. Comparable as a partner/landlord in Three Springs' expansion history and as a broader incumbent in Mid-Atlantic fruit processing and pantry products.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/3springsfruit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Three Springs Fruit Farm