Center Grove Orchard

What Center Grove Orchard does

Center Grove Orchard is a family-owned agritourism destination and working farm located in Cambridge, Iowa, approximately 15-20 minutes northeast of Des Moines. Founded in 1986 by Pat and Larry Black with the planting of the first apple trees, the farm opened to the public in 1994 and is now operated by the next generation under Steve Black. The property spans 200+ acres and includes 20+ acres of apple orchards with 6,000 trees producing 34+ varieties, a 4-acre tulip field with 400,000 bulbs, a 4-acre strawberry field, and a pumpkin patch. The site offers 40+ installed attractions including the Corn Pool, Jumping Pillows, Black Gold Super Slide, CGO Express Train, Honey Beeline zipline, Combine Slide, Corn Maze, and farm animal exhibits.

The company operates a multi-season calendar spanning Spring on the Farm (May-June, featuring tulips, strawberries, baby animals), Summer (Farm Camp), Fall on the Farm (August-November, the peak season anchored by apple and pumpkin picking plus Pumpkin Nights), and Holiday Events (late November-December, including Winter Wonderland, PJ's with Santa, Brunch with Santa, and Santa with Pets). Revenue is generated through ticketed admissions ($11.95 weekday, $15.95 weekend), annual passes (Fall Season Pass at $32.95, Farm'All Pass at $139.99), you-pick produce sales, on-site food and bakery sales, venue rentals, school tours at $9.95 per student, birthday party packages at $400, corporate group events, and a volunteer fundraising program that pays $14/hour to participating community groups. Ticketing and merchandise are sold through a Shopify-based online storefront with on-site fulfillment.

The customer base is primarily regional families with children, supplemented by preschool and elementary school groups, community organizations participating in fundraising programs, and corporate clients booking private events. The technology stack is minimal — a Shopify e-commerce site, standard social media presence on Facebook and Instagram, and email marketing — with no proprietary platform, no API, and no documented AI/ML capability. The company has 1-10 reported full-time employees (with substantial seasonal labor implied), is privately held with no external investors or institutional funding, and operates exclusively at its single Cambridge, Iowa location.

Name

Center Grove Orchard

Legal name

Center Grove Orchard

Website

https://centergroveorchard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Center Grove Orchard is a family-owned agritourism farm in Cambridge, Iowa, operating across four seasonal calendars on 200+ acres with 40+ attractions, you-pick produce, event venue rentals, school tours, and a retail bakery, serving regional families, schools, and corporate groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agritourism and Pick-Your-Own Orchard Farm

NAICS

Apple Orchards (111331), Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Orchard Management & Field Operations (Pruning/Training, Thinning, Irrigation/Fertigation) (AFAGACAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Greenhouse Fruit & Berry Production (Strawberries, Specialty Fruits) (AFAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Agritourism destination
• Pick-your-own produce
• Orchard farm attractions
• Seasonal harvest events
• U-pick apple orchard

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Entry fees for daily visits to the farmyard during various seasons. Weekday and weekend admission pricing with discounts for online advance purchase versus walk-up rates.
2. Season Passes: Fall Season Pass ($32.95) provides unlimited admission August 29 - November 8 with 40+ attractions included. Farm'All Pass ($139.99) covers unlimited admission to all seasons year-round.
3. You-Pick Produce: Revenue from visitors picking their own produce including apples (various peck/bushel sizes from $9.95 to $64.95), strawberries, pumpkins, tulips, sunflowers, zinnias, and sugar snap peas. Separate from admission fees.
4. Bakery Products: On-site bakery sales including apple cider donuts, fudge, pies, crisps, cake rolls, and breads. Also includes pre-order bakery sales for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and bakery fundraising programs for community organizations.
5. Event Venue Rentals: Private event spaces including Log Cabin reservations ($150-$250), campfires ($50-$145), Welcome Porch ($150), and Welcome Grounds ($300-$600). Birthday party packages at $400 including 15 admission tickets.
6. School Tours: Educational group tours during fall season with structured programming including Apple Tours and Pumpkin Tours. Priced at $9.95 per student/parent/sibling with free admission for teachers and aides.
7. Volunteer Fundraising Program: Community groups volunteer during October weekends in exchange for per-hour donations ($14/hour per volunteer). Organizations assist at food venues, admissions, Country Store, and farmyard activities.
8. Food Venues: On-site food service including Hay Cafe, bakery items, seasonal treats, and specialty beverages like dirty sodas and gourmet s'mores.
9. Country Store Merchandise: Retail sales of merchandise, apparel, jams, jellies, and other farm-branded goods. Country Store was expanded in 2010.
10. Farm Camp: Summer day camp for children with activities including animal care, crop education, and farm exploration. Includes camp merchandise like T-shirts ($15).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Center Grove Orchard is a family-owned agritourism destination that operates a 200+ acre farm offering seasonal pick-your-own produce (apples, strawberries, pumpkins, tulips, sunflowers, zinnias, sugar snap peas), 40+ farmyard attractions and rides, an on-site bakery, a Country Store, school tours, summer Farm Camp, holiday events, and private venue rentals. The core experience combines a working commercial apple orchard (20+ acres, 6,000 trees, 34+ varieties) with a hospitality and entertainment venue serving families, school groups, community organizations, and corporate clients across Spring, Summer, Fall, and Holiday seasons.

Product overview

Center Grove Orchard is a family-owned agritourism destination (owned and operated by the Larry D. and Pat Black Family since 1994) offering a diversified portfolio of seasonal experiences and products. The core offering centers on 40+ attractions across a 200-acre farm including the Corn Pool, Jumping Pillows, Black Gold Super Slide, CGO Express Train, Honey Beeline, Combine Slide, Farm Animals, Photo Ops, Corn Maze, Straw Pyramid, and Bubble Bins. Revenue streams include: (1) ticketed admissions — Fall Season Pass ($32.95), Weekday ($11.95) and Weekend ($15.95) single-day tickets, and the year-round Farm'All Pass ($139.99); (2) event experiences — Butterfly Release ($8.95), Pumpkin Nights, and special fall events; (3) venue rentals — Log Cabin, Welcome Porch, Welcome Grounds, and Campfire site reservations ranging $50-$600; (4) group programs — School Tours ($9.95/student), Birthday Party Packages ($400), and Volunteer Fundraiser opportunities; (5) retail and food — Country Store, Bakery Sales, and fundraiser programs; (6) seasonal programming — Farm Camp (summer), Spring on the Farm (April-June featuring tulips, strawberries, baby animals), and Winter Wonderland holiday events (late November-December). The You-Pick operation spans 20+ acres with 34+ apple varieties, pumpkins, strawberries, tulips (400,000+ bulbs), sunflowers, zinnias, and sugar snap peas across spring, summer, and fall seasons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crane Orchards: Michigan family-owned orchard with pick-your-own apples, U-pick cherries, farm market, bakery, corn maze, and seasonal events. Highly comparable Midwest pick-your-own-plus-attractions model.
• Alstede Farms: Family-owned New Jersey farm offering pick-your-own produce (apples, strawberries, pumpkins, flowers), farm store, bakery, school tours, birthday parties, and seasonal events — almost identical service portfolio to Center Grove Orchard.
• Apple Holler: Wisconsin orchard offering pick-your-own apples, a farm store, bakery, restaurant, and seasonal family attractions including a corn maze and barnyard. Closely matches Center Grove's combination of orchard and entertainment venue.
• Demarest Farms: New Jersey farm with pick-your-own apples, peaches, pumpkins, and farm market with bakery. Family-owned agritourism destination comparable in offerings to Center Grove, though serving a different (East Coast) geography.
• Terhune Orchards: Family-owned New Jersey orchard with pick-your-own apples, berries, pumpkins, on-site farm store, bakery, winery, and school/educational programming. Comparable diversified agritourism model with strong community engagement.
• Eckert's Family Farms: Family-owned Midwestern orchard (Illinois/Missouri) operating pick-your-own apples, strawberries, pumpkins, plus farm store, bakery, restaurant, and seasonal events. Closest analog to Center Grove Orchard's combined PYO-plus-attractions-plus-bakery model.
• Huber Orchard & Winery: Indiana family-owned orchard and winery with pick-your-own produce, farm market, bakery, and family attractions. Comparable multi-revenue agritourism model with similar scale and Midwest positioning.
• Wauconda Orchards: Illinois orchard founded by Dick Breeden, Pat Black's father. Family lineage makes this a directly comparable regional orchard and explains Center Grove Orchard's founding inspiration. Operates pick-your-own and farm store.

Regional players

• Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard: Nebraska orchard offering pick-your-own apples, berries, and pumpkins plus farm market, bakery, and seasonal events. Similar agritourism model but serving a different (Plains) geography from Center Grove.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/centergroveorchard
• Instagraminstagram.com/centergroveorchard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Center Grove Orchard