PATRIUS ARA INC.
Wea Creek Orchard (Patrius Ara Inc.) is a 7th-generation family farm in Lafayette, Indiana operating a direct-to-consumer farm market, U-pick produce experience, agritourism venue, and e-commerce store serving local families, schools, and wedding customers with apples, peaches, pumpkins, honey, preserves, and event hosting.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1855
- HeadquartersLafayette, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PATRIUS ARA INC. does
PATRIUS ARA INC. (operating as Wea Creek Orchard) is a privately held, 7th-generation family farm incorporated in Indiana and located at 5618 S 200 E, Lafayette, Indiana. The company is named after the Latin phrase meaning 'land of our fathers,' reflecting continuous family ownership since Aaron and Sarah Huffman purchased the homestead in 1855. The business is currently operated by three descendant families, with Tim and Preston Kirkham managing day-to-day operations including honeybee care. The land has documented Indigenous Wea tribe heritage and is registered as an archaeological site with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The core operation is a direct-to-consumer farm market and agritourism destination built around dwarf apple trees (8–12 ft optimal picking height) producing more than 20 apple varieties, 3 freestone peach varieties (Glowing Star, Coral Star, Autumn Star), and 10–15 pumpkin varieties annually. On-site revenue is generated through U-pick produce experiences, a farm market selling fresh produce and packaged goods (jams, jellies, preserves, honey, salsas, canned apple cider), free tractor rides, and hosted events including weddings and educational field trips. Packaged goods are priced at $8.00 per unit and are sold via both on-site retail and an e-commerce storefront. The wedding package is priced at $4,000 for 2026 with a one-wedding-per-weekend exclusivity policy, and field trips are priced at $5 per student with a $125 minimum.
The company's monetization spans six streams: farm market retail, U-pick produce, wedding/event hosting, field trip programs, tractor rides (free, supportive), and e-commerce. Customer segments include families and individual visitors, local schools, wedding/event hosts, and local food enthusiasts, with primary segment being families and individual visitors. Distribution is regional via the on-site farm market (open Thursday–Sunday during season) and domestic via the e-commerce store. The wholly-owned Lavender Bee Company subsidiary extends the product line into honey and lavender-based goods (soaps, candles, essential oils, bath salts), and a co-tenancy partnership with Medley Family Farms adds a flower market on-site. The company has no external funding, no parent entity, and operates with approximately six employees.
PATRIUS ARA INC. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PATRIUS ARA INC.
- Legal name
- Patrius Ara Inc.
- Website
- https://weacreekorchard.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1855
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Wea Creek Orchard (Patrius Ara Inc.) is a 7th-generation family farm in Lafayette, Indiana operating a direct-to-consumer farm market, U-pick produce experience, agritourism venue, and e-commerce store serving local families, schools, and wedding customers with apples, peaches, pumpkins, honey, preserves, and event hosting.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PATRIUS ARA INC. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Orchard Farm Market and Agritourism
- NAICS
- Apple Orchards (111331), Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cider & Orchard Fruit Production (Apples/pears for cider & processing) (AFAGACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Stone Fruit Orchards (Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Cherries, Apricots) (AFAGACAC), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE)
Keywords
Where PATRIUS ARA INC. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lafayette
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PATRIUS ARA INC. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Farm Market Retail Sales: On-site retail sales of fresh produce (apples, peaches, pumpkins), preserves, jams, jellies, honey, salsas, and canned apple cider. Products are sold directly to visitors at the farm market.
- U-Pick Produce: Visitors pick their own apples, peaches, and pumpkins directly from the orchard, paying for produce by weight or unit.
- Wedding and Event Hosting: Rental of orchard facilities for wedding ceremonies and receptions. 2026 wedding package priced at $4,000 with $800 non-refundable deposit. Events run April through November.
- Field Trip Programs: Educational field trips for school groups since 2012. Pricing at $5 per student with $125 minimum. Activities include apple tasting, wagon rides, seeds lesson, and games.
- Tractor Rides: Free tractor wagon rides offered to visitors to explore the orchard, pumpkin patches, and bee hives (weather permitting). Complimentary service that enhances visitor experience.
- E-commerce Storefront: Online store for purchasing jams, jellies, honey, preserves, canned apple cider, and other orchard goods for direct-to-consumer shipping.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard product pricing for jams, jellies, preserves, honey, cider, and salsas |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Educational field trip program for school groups |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Full wedding weekend package including venue access, furniture, parking, and services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
PATRIUS ARA INC. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Patrius Ara Inc., operating as Wea Creek Orchard, is a 7th-generation family farm in Lafayette, Indiana that sells fresh apples, peaches, and pumpkins through an on-site farm market and U-pick experiences, along with farm-processed jams, jellies, preserves, honey, canned apple cider, and salsas. The farm also hosts agritourism experiences including weddings, field trips, tractor rides, and seasonal festivals.
Product overview
PATRIUS ARA INC. (operating as Wea Creek Orchard) is a 7th-generation family farm incorporated under the Latin name meaning 'land of our fathers.' The company operates a farm market offering fresh produce (apples, peaches, pumpkins) and processed goods including jams, jellies, preserves, honey, canned apple cider, and salsas. The product portfolio includes U-Pick experiences for apples, peaches, and pumpkins with over 20 apple varieties and 3 freestone peach varieties. Additional offerings include lavender products from Lavender Bee Company, flowers from Medley Family Farms, and event services including weddings and field trips. The farm provides free tractor rides and hosts festivals and events throughout the season.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lavender Bee Company: A subsidiary brand offering honey products made from orchard peach and apple blossoms, as well as lavender nectar. Also provides lavender products including soaps, candles, essential oils, and bath salts.
Products and services
- Farm Market (Jams, Jellies, Preserves, Honey, Canned Apple Cider, Salsas) On-site retail market selling farm-processed jams, jellies, preserves, honey, canned apple cider, and salsas made from orchard-grown fruit, with most jars priced at $8.00. Open Thursday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 12pm-6pm during the season.
- U-Pick Apples Pick-your-own apple experience offering over 20 varieties including Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, Royal Empire, Pixie Crunch, Suncrisp, and Akane, cultivated on dwarf trees kept at an 8–12 foot optimal picking height.
- U-Pick Peaches Pick-your-own peach experience featuring three freestone varieties: Glowing Star, Coral Star, and Autumn Star.
- U-Pick Pumpkins Pick-your-own pumpkin experience offering 10–15 varieties planted annually, including jack-o'-lantern, specialty colored, and edible baking pumpkins.
- Wedding Venue Services Full-weekend wedding venue rental at the orchard's historic bank barns and grounds, with the 2026 package priced at $4,000 including access from Friday 8 AM through Sunday noon, 200 chairs, 27 rectangular tables, parking service, tractor rides, private wedding prep room, ceremony setup, and trash service. Only one wedding booked per weekend.
- Educational Field Trips Educational field trip program for school groups that has run since 2012, priced at $5 per student with a $125 minimum, covering apple tasting, wagon rides, seeds lessons, and orchard-themed games for groups of approximately 25 children rotating through activity stations.
- Lavender Bee Company Products Homegrown honey from orchard peach and apple blossoms and lavender nectar, alongside lavender soaps, candles, essential oils, and bath salts produced by Lavender Bee Company in partnership with Wea Creek Orchard.
- Sam's Sparkling Cider Sparkling apple cider named after Sam the dog, sold at the on-site farm market and at selected retail locations around Lafayette, Indiana.
Companies that use PATRIUS ARA INC.
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PATRIUS ARA INC. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
PATRIUS ARA INC. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Lavender Bee CompanycoreLavender Bee Company is actively expanding bee hives at Wea Creek Orchard and developing honey products with undertones from orchard peach and apple blossoms, as well as new lavender nectar. Tim Kirkham and Preston Kirkham oversee the day-to-day care of the honeybees, while Lavender Bee Company processes and sells homegrown honey and lavender products including soaps, candles, essential oils, and bath salts. The partnership provides a unique product line that captures the essence of the orchard environment.
- Medley Family FarmsminorMedley Family Farms operates a flower market at Wea Creek Orchard, presenting a stunning array of blooms and floral arrangements for visitors. This partnership enhances the visitor experience by offering fresh flowers alongside orchard produce, creating a one-stop destination for farm-fresh goods and beautiful floral selections.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PATRIUS ARA INC. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Beasley's Orchard: Central Indiana family orchard with U-pick apples, pumpkins, farm market, and seasonal events including a large fall festival. Closest peer on business model combination of U-pick, retail, and agritourism.
- Tuttle Orchards: Indiana-based multi-generation family orchard offering U-pick apples, pumpkins, farm market, and agritourism events. Directly comparable on crop mix, DTC farm market model, and family-owned heritage positioning in the same regional market.
- Apple Holler: Wisconsin family farm offering U-pick apples, peaches, pumpkins, farm market, and family entertainment. Closely comparable diversified U-pick + farm market + agritourism business model.
- Huber's Orchard & Winery: Southern Indiana family farm operation with orchard, farm market, U-pick, and event hosting. Comparable diversified agritourism and direct-to-consumer retail model on a larger scale.
- Garwood Orchards: Indiana-based multi-generation family orchard with U-pick apples, pumpkins, farm market, and value-added products. Similar heritage positioning, crop mix, and DTC retail focus.
Regional players
- Piney Orchard: Orchard operation with seasonal U-pick and farm market retail, comparable in crop mix and direct-to-consumer farm market model though in a different region.
- Morris Orchard: Indiana U-pick orchard offering apples, pumpkins, and farm market products. Comparable small-scale family farm with seasonal U-pick and retail operations.
- St. James Orchard: Family orchard with U-pick apples, peaches, and on-site farm store. Comparable crop mix and DTC model in a different regional market.
- Ditzler Orchard: Family-run Indiana orchard offering apples, pumpkins, and farm market products. Similar scale and product mix, though serving a different regional customer base.
- Whiteland Orchard: Indiana orchard with U-pick apples, peaches, and pumpkins plus on-site farm market. Highly comparable crop portfolio and DTC retail model in the same state.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PATRIUS ARA INC. social profiles
Digital presencePATRIUS ARA INC. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PATRIUS ARA INC. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
PATRIUS ARA INC. subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
PATRIUS ARA INC. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PATRIUS ARA INC. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PATRIUS ARA INC.
What does PATRIUS ARA INC. do?
Patrius Ara Inc., operating as Wea Creek Orchard, is a 7th-generation family farm in Lafayette, Indiana that sells fresh apples, peaches, and pumpkins through an on-site farm market and U-pick experiences, along with farm-processed jams, jellies, preserves, honey, canned apple cider, and salsas. The farm also hosts agritourism experiences including weddings, field trips, tractor rides, and seasonal festivals.
Is PATRIUS ARA INC. a public or private company?
PATRIUS ARA INC. is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was PATRIUS ARA INC. founded?
PATRIUS ARA INC. was founded in 1855. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is PATRIUS ARA INC. based?
PATRIUS ARA INC. is headquartered in Lafayette, United States, in the North America region.
How does PATRIUS ARA INC. make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Farm Market Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are U-Pick Produce, wedding and Event Hosting, field Trip Programs, tractor Rides and E-commerce Storefront.
Who are PATRIUS ARA INC.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Beasley's Orchard, Tuttle Orchards, Apple Holler, Huber's Orchard & Winery and Garwood Orchards. Regional players are Piney Orchard, Morris Orchard, St. James Orchard, Ditzler Orchard and Whiteland Orchard.
Does PATRIUS ARA INC. have an API?
No public API is recorded for PATRIUS ARA INC..
What industry is PATRIUS ARA INC. in?
PATRIUS ARA INC.'s product category is Orchard Farm Market and Agritourism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGACAJ, Cider & Orchard Fruit Production (Apples/pears for cider & processing), with a secondary code of AFAGACAC, Stone Fruit Orchards (Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Cherries, Apricots). Its NAICS code is 111331 and its SIC code is 100.