Soons Orchards

What Soons Orchards does

Soons Orchards is a fourth-generation family farm founded in 1910 by William Soons in New Hampton, New York (Orange County, Hudson Valley), operated today by Jeff, Laura, and Sharon Soons with patriarch Art Soons (growing apples since 1955) and a six-person farm crew. The core operation is a 35-acre orchard producing 85 apple varieties (including two proprietary Soons-grafted varieties, Bonnie St. Clair and Pilot Meadow) and 20+ peach and nectarine varieties, supported by a year-round farm store at 23 Soons Circle that sells fresh-pressed apple cider, bakery items, produce, and specialty goods, plus seasonal U-pick orchards for apples, peaches, and pumpkins. The business also operates Orchard Hill Cider Mill, a 2016 farm-winery spin-off co-founded by Jeff Soons, which produces hard cider and award-winning pommeau and runs a weekend Tap Room that hosts private events.

The business model is direct-to-consumer, with revenue diversified across multiple channels: retail farm market sales (year-round daily 9am-6pm), U-pick operations (peck/half-bushel bag pricing, e.g., $23 peck for apples in 2025), monthly $85-per-person farm-to-table dinners led by CIA-trained Chef Anthony Acevedo, weekly Warwick Valley Farmers' Market presence, and U.S. mail-order shipping primarily in fall/Christmas. Agrotechnical foundations include Integrated Pest Management advised daily by Cornell Cooperative Extension, UV light cider treatment installed in 1998, and 33°F/90% humidity cold storage that supports year-round apple availability. Soons Orchards is privately held, family-owned with no external investors, and has been recognized by the Times Herald-Record as Best U-Pick for four consecutive years and by the New York Times for cider quality.

Name

Soons Orchards

Legal name

Soons Orchards

Website

https://soonsorchards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Soons Orchards is a fourth-generation family farm in New Hampton, New York, running a year-round farm market, U-pick orchards, and farm-to-table dinners. It sells 85 apple varieties, fresh-pressed cider, and bakery items, and co-locates the Orchard Hill Cider Mill Tap Room.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orchard & Farm Products

NAICS

Apple Orchards (111331), Noncitrus Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (11133), Fruit and Tree Nut Combination Farming (111336)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Stone Fruit Orchards (Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Cherries, Apricots) (AFAGACAC), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE), Orchard Management & Field Operations (Pruning/Training, Thinning, Irrigation/Fertigation) (AFAGACAL)

Keywords

• Farm market retail
• U-pick apples
• Fresh apple cider
• Agritourism experiences
• Farm-to-table dinners

Headquarters

HQ city

New Hampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Farm Market Sales: Year-round farm store selling homegrown produce (apples, peaches, nectarines, vegetables), baked goods (cider donuts, pies, cookies, croissants), apple cider, nut butters, applesauce, kettle corn, fudge, and more. Open daily 9am-6pm.
2. U-Pick Operations: Pick-your-own apples, pumpkins, and occasionally peaches. Apple picking opens Labor Day weekend and runs weekends through October. U-pick is priced by bag ($23 peck/$35 half bushel for apples in 2025; $3.49/lb for peaches).
3. Farm Dinners: Monthly farm-to-table dinners held at the farm store and Orchard Hill Tap Room, featuring 4-course meals prepared by CIA-trained Chef Anthony Acevedo. Tickets priced at $85 per person. Ongoing since 2009 (15th year in 2024).
4. Warwick Valley Farmers' Market Sales: Weekly attendance at the Warwick Valley Farmers' Market on Sundays from Mother's Day through Thanksgiving, offering a limited selection of apples, cider, donuts, and other products.
5. Mail Order / Shipping: Ships apples and other products throughout the U.S., primarily in the fall through Christmas.
6. Orchard Hill Cider Mill (Hard Cider & Tap Room): Orchard Hill Cider Mill (Tap Room), a separate business from Soons Orchards but co-located next to the farm store, makes and sells hard ciders, pommeau, NYS wines, spirits and beer. Hard ciders available by the can at Soons market.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Soons Orchards is a fourth-generation family farm in New Hampton, NY that grows 85+ apple varieties and 20+ peach/nectarine varieties across 35 acres of orchard. It sells homegrown produce, fresh-pressed apple cider, baked goods, and specialty items through a year-round farm market store, seasonal U-Pick orchards, and the Warwick Valley Farmers' Market. The farm also offers agritourism experiences including U-Pick, monthly farm-to-table dinners, school/orchard tours, and hosts a co-located hard cider Tap Room (Orchard Hill Cider Mill).

Product overview

Soons Orchards operates as a multi-faceted farm market with a unified portfolio of interconnected products and services. The core offering centers on the year-round Farm Market Store (https://www.soonsorchards.com/market), which sells homegrown produce including Apples (85 varieties), Peaches, fresh-pressed Apple Cider, Bakery items, and specialty Favorites. The business expands through seasonal U-Pick Orchards for apples, peaches, and pumpkins, plus the Tap Room at Orchard Hill Cider Mill for hard ciders and events. Additional revenue streams include monthly Farm Dinners, Suzie Q's Cookies & Cream ice cream shop, Wood and Hay sales, Gift Baskets, and Gift Certificates. The subsidiary Orchard Hill Cider Mill produces proprietary hard ciders (Bone Dry, Verde, specialty creations) using cider apple varieties grown on the farm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farm Market Store Year-round farm market offering homegrown produce, fresh-pressed apple cider, bakery items, and locally sourced goods. Open daily 9am-6pm at 23 Soons Circle, New Hampton, NY.
• Apples (85+ Varieties) Homegrown apples spanning 85+ varieties — from well-known varieties like Honeycrisp to heirloom varieties like Northern Spy and Newtown Pippin, including two proprietary Soons-developed varieties (Bonnie St. Clair and Pilot Meadow). Available year-round in the store.
• Peaches and Nectarines Homegrown peaches and nectarines from over 20 varieties grown on a dedicated peach orchard. Available mid-July to mid-September at the farm market.
• Fresh-Pressed Apple Cider Fresh-pressed apple cider made from a blend of 50+ apple varieties — pure apples with nothing added or removed, never from concentrate. UV-light treated (installed 1998) for safety without heat. Available mid-September through end of May, with frozen half gallons available in summer.
• Bakery Items Fresh-baked goods including apple cider donuts (made daily), pies (including pies supplied by Scotty's Country Kitchen), cookies, croissants, loaf cakes, apple fritters, and seasonal specialties.
• U-Pick Orchards Pick-your-own experience for apples (5-acre orchard open weekends starting Labor Day), peaches (special weekends in August, when available), and pumpkins (hay wagon rides to pumpkin fields on fall weekends). U-Pick apples priced by bag ($23 peck / $35 half bushel in 2025); peaches $3.49/lb plus $3 entry.
• Seasonal Produce Homegrown and locally sourced seasonal vegetables including sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, greens, root vegetables, herbs, and winter squash.
• Orchard Hill Cider Mill Tap Room Adjacent venue serving hard ciders (Bone Dry, Verde, Bitters & Sharps, Northern Spy), pommeau, NYS wines, spirits, beer, and creative cocktails. Also hosts private events including rehearsal dinners, showers, birthdays, and weddings. Open weekends (F/S/S) seasonally.
• Farm-to-Table Dinners Monthly on-site farm-to-table dinner events featuring CIA-trained Chef Anthony Acevedo's four-course menus built on local ingredients. Tickets pre-paid at $85 per person. Gift certificates available.
• Suzie Q's Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Shop On-site ice cream shop offering hand-scooped and soft-serve ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes, and treats. Open Tuesday-Sunday noon to 8pm, May through October. Operated by a separate local woman-owned business on the farm property.
• Firewood and Hay Firewood (mixed hardwood and applewood) and hay for animals (first cut, second cut, and mulch hay) available for sale at the farm. Firewood priced by bin/cord with delivery within 35 miles; hay priced per bale.
• Soons Favorites Specialty Items Signature specialty products including homemade chili, puddings, fresh-ground nut butters (peanut, almond, cashew varieties), homemade applesauce, kettle corn, magic cheese spreads, jams, chips, fudge, and pickles.
• Gift Baskets Customizable gift baskets available in various themes (breakfast, bakery, sweets, snacks, charcuterie, fruit) starting at $25. Order with one day's notice for pickup.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available in $25 increments, valid for anything in the store, apple gift packs, or farm dinners.
• Farm and Orchard Tours Educational orchard and farm tours suitable for school field trips, reunions, and groups. Booked by contacting the farm via email.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85 apple varieties grown across 35 acres of orchard — enabling a different variety every week of the year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Orchard Hill Cider MillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located next to the Soons farm store, Orchard Hill Cider Mill is a separate business co-founded by Jeff Soons along with Andrew Emig and Karl DuHoffman. It produces hard ciders and award-winning pommeau (apple brandy) using Soons-grown apples. Soons market sells Orchard Hill hard cider cans. The Tap Room operates on weekends and hosts private events including rehearsal dinners, showers, birthdays, and weddings.
• Scotty's Country KitchencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperated by Laura (Soons family member) and her husband, Scotty's Country Kitchen makes pies that are sold at the Soons store. Located across from the Soons store typically Easter through Christmas, Friday–Sunday. Soons directs customers to Scotty's for pie inquiries.
• Warwick Valley Farmers' MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSoons Orchards attends the Warwick Valley Farmers' Market every Sunday from Mother's Day through Thanksgiving (9am–2pm), selling a limited selection of apples, cider, donuts, and other products.
• OCNY West (Orange County NY West)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerA regional partnership of small businesses in 'western' Orange County, NY, formed to promote local tourism. Soons Orchards is a member, along with other nearby attractions, allowing cross-promotion of local destinations.
• Cornell University (Cooperative Extension)coreTechnology or IntegrationSoons Orchards uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and receives expert advice from Cornell University advisors daily — sometimes twice daily — during the growing season to determine optimal pest control treatments.
• Jansen NurseryminorOthersSoons Orchards recommends Jansen Nursery in Florida, NY for customers looking to purchase apple trees, as Soons does not sell trees directly (the nurseries they use only sell in large quantities to commercial growers).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Angry Orchard: National craft hard cider brand owned by Boston Beer Company, with a flagship tap room in Walden, NY (Hudson Valley). Relevant given Soons' affiliated Orchard Hill Cider Mill and shared Hudson Valley hard-cider category, but operates at vastly larger scale and distribution.

Direct peers

• Terhune Orchards: Multi-generational family farm in Princeton, NJ with U-Pick apples, pumpkins, farm store, bakery, and on-site events including farm dinners. Comparable diversified DTC agritourism model with a similar mix of bakery, produce, and value-added goods.
• Dr. Davies Farm: Congers, NY Hudson Valley U-Pick farm with apples, pumpkins, and a farm stand. Operates in the same Rockland/Orange County corridor as Soons with a comparable family-farm U-Pick offering.
• Wilklow Orchards: Highland, NY Hudson Valley orchard with U-Pick apples and pumpkins, farm store, and bakery. Directly comparable family-farm DTC model in the same regional market as Soons.
• Fishkill Farms: Hudson Valley farm in Hopewell Junction, NY with U-Pick apples, vegetables, and berries, a year-round farm store, and on-site events. Comparable in scale, organic/IPM practices, and DTC farm-store-plus-U-Pick model.
• Pennings Orchard & Farm Market: Warwick, NY farm market and orchard with U-Pick apples, a farm store, bakery, and on-site pub/garden. Operates within the same Orange County, NY trade area as Soons, with overlapping apple/peach offerings and farm-store retail.
• Masker Orchards: Family-owned U-Pick apple orchard in Warwick, NY, just miles from Soons. Operates a similar direct-to-consumer model with U-Pick apples, a farm stand, and seasonal events targeting the same Hudson Valley day-tripper demographic.
• Barton Orchards: Poughquag, NY farm with U-Pick apples and pumpkins, farm market, tap room, and seasonal events including a corn maze and live music. Closest direct competitor combining U-Pick, farm store, and on-site beverage/event venue like Soons' Orchard Hill.
• Apple Ridge Orchards: Highland Mills, NY U-Pick orchard offering pick-your-own apples, peaches, and pumpkins with similar family-oriented agritourism programming and a comparable per-bag pricing model to Soons.
• Rose Hill Farm: Pleasant Valley, NY U-Pick orchard and farm market offering pick-your-own apples, peaches, and pumpkins, plus on-site events. Similar small-acreage, family-run DTC agritourism profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvUI9CXjObJoclgTFKjQJ6g
• Facebookfacebook.com/SoonsOrchards
• Instagraminstagram.com/soonsorchards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soons-orchards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Soons Orchards