Thirty years ago, Jim and Judy purchased the 71-acre farm that has become Pleasant Valley Orchard. We are a family owned orchard with the first tree plantings in 1990. Our goal is to provide quality strawberries, apples, pumpkins and fresh bakery products in a family friendly environment.
We don’t have a lot of bells and whistles here, but hope you find a place that is friendly, inviting and worthy of becoming a tradition.
We are very pleased to have been voted Best Orchard in Minnesota 2015 by WCCO Channel 4 news viewers.
We utilize integrated pest management techniques, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota, to manage the orchard. This means we spend a lot of time monitoring and trapping pests in order to minimize our use of pesticides. We do this to protect the environment and to ensure our apples are absolutely free of any pesticide residues when we pick them.
Pleasant Valley Orchard was the recipient of the 2001 New Initiative Award for Chisago County by the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
Pleasant Valley Orchard is a member of the Minnesota Apple Growers Association, the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, the Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Chisago Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Jim serves on the Board of the Chisago County Soil and Water Conservation District. Judy is engaged in numerous community activities.
Pleasant Valley Orchard is owned and operated by the husband and wife team, Jim Birkholz and Judy Erickson, along with their son, Sam Birkholz. Their other children, Amelia and Joe will be found helping out during strawberry season or in the fall as their careers allow.
