The Soons Family of New Hampton

Soons Orchards

The business: Soons Orchards
Date founded: 1910
Number of generations: 4
Number of family members working together: 6
Owners: Arthur Soons and wife Sandy

What it does: It’s mostly about the apples — picked for eating, apple cider, applesauce, and apple-cider donuts — at Soons Orchards, a family-owned and -operated business since 1910. William Soons, an electrical engineer from New York City, moved up to New Hampton and became a dairy farmer; he ended up planting some apple trees and the rest is history.

soons orchards
Sharon Soons of Soons Orchards

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Today, William’s grandson Arthur and his wife, Sandy, are at the helm, but another generation has come on-board: Their eldest son, Jeffrey, has taken over the orchard and farm operations. Daughter Laura and her husband, Scott, founded Scotty’s Country Kitchen, which supplies the farm with pies and baked goods. Their youngest, Sharon, handles retail and markets. With a couple of partners, Jeffrey opened Orchard Hill Cider Mill two years ago; it is run out of the farm. Come fall, you can also pick your own apples and pumpkins. Will another generation come on-board? “Who knows?” says Sharon. “They’re only 13 and 15. If they do, they’ll probably first go on to college.”

Website: www.soonsorchards.com

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