Welcome to Fruit Hill Orchard in Palmyra, Va.
August 2024
It’s peach season at Fruit Hill Orchard in Palmyra, Va. (Photos courtesy Fruit Hill Orchard)
by Laura Emery, Staff Writer
“Just peachy” perfectly describes life at Fruit Hill Orchard in Palmyra, Va., from July 2 until shortly after Labor Day. That’s because it’s peach season, and there are peaches aplenty.
Fuzzy and full of nutrients, peaches are a summertime staple. Fruit Hill Orchard peaches are succulent and juicy, with a luscious texture that melts in your mouth — the kind of peaches that make visitors come back for more.
Fruit Hill Orchard is family owned and operated by Barbara and Terry Lintecum and their daughter and son-in-law,
“It’s always fun working with family. It’s hard sometimes, but you can always count on family,” says David.
At Fruit Hill Orchard’s two orchard locations, in Palmyra and Winchester, multiple varieties of peaches grow in neat rows, ready to be plucked by the family and then sold. “We have over a hundred peach trees here in Palmyra, but several thousand peach trees in our orchards in the Shenandoah Valley. Some of our pre-picked fruit comes from our orchards in Winchester to help us meet the demand here,” Abigail explains.
In Palmyra, the peaches are primarily available pre-picked. Barbara says, “But we’re really excited because we have a great crop of peaches coming this year.” Abigail adds, “They’re usually sweet, full of flavor and so juicy it’ll be running down your arm.”
The Lintecums have dedicated most of their life to running the orchard, but the day-to-day operating of the orchards are now primarily handled by Abigail and David.
“We learn something from them [my parents] every day, and we’re so thankful for their wisdom and guidance. Fruit Hill wouldn’t be what it is today without the decades of hard work they’ve both put in,” Abigail says.
BRANCHING OUT
From left, David and Abigail Stuart; Terry and Barbara Lintecum
The family now carries on a legacy that is five generations deep. Incorporated in 1929 in Winchester, Va., Fruit Hill Orchard expanded to Palmyra when, in the spring of 2000, Abigail’s grandfather, Robert Solenberger, asked if he could plant “a few” apple trees on his daughter and son-in-law’s (Barbara and Terry’s) property in Palmyra so his grandchildren could learn about the family business.
“It’s not like my dad gave us a choice,” Barbara says with a laugh. “I remember looking at Terry and saying, ‘Well, I guess we’re going to grow apples down here!’ It was so generous of my father. And Terry, who was a full-time schoolteacher at the time, has always been a farmer at heart and has always loved growing things, so we just sort of embraced it.”
From humble beginnings, the orchard’s legacy has evolved into something extraordinary. Palmyra’s Fruit Hill Orchard now has over 3,000 fruit trees on its 200-acre property. They grow much more than just peaches. During summer, the orchard usually offers blackberries, summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, watermelons, cantaloupes and green beans. When the weather cools down, visitors can buy apples, pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash and even mums.
What the orchard offers fluctuates seasonally, so the family strongly encourages prospective visitors to check Fruit Hill Orchard’s Facebook page or website, or even to call, to find out what is available before visiting.
But there’s more than just fruits and vegetables, Barbara says. “We have baked goods that are made by a local baker using our fruit, jarred goods that include jellies, jams and fruit butter, local cheese, local honey harvested from my husband’s 50 bee hives, local meat, and candles, lotions and other body products. It’s kind of like everything you would get at a farmers’ market from multiple vendors all in one building.”
Fruit Hill Orchard’s Palmyra location is served by Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. Barbara and Terry say they love being members of an electric cooperative. “The [CVEC] people here in Palmyra are wonderful to work with. We had a new electric service put in on a tract of land that we just acquired and they showed up almost immediately when we called and did a great job. We have nothing but good things to say about the electric cooperatives,” Barbara says.
ROOTS RUN DEEP
John Thwaite started Fruit Hill Orchard in Winchester, Va., in 1929.
The orchard’s roots run deep, going back more than a hundred years before its earliest days in Palmyra. In the late 1800s, James Thwaite came to the U.S. from England. He and his family traveled around the East Coast for a while before settling in Winchester in 1876.
“His son and my great-great-great-grandfather, John Thwaite, planted about 500 fruit trees in 1879. These trees were so successful that he planted another 700 trees the following season. He continued to add a few hundred trees each year until he got a few hundred acres of apple trees,” Abigail explains.
According to the family, John Thwaite was a pioneer of the fruit-storage business model, one of the first to come up with ways to store large quantities of apples to sell later in the season. Fruit Hill Orchard continued for generations, expanding into thousands of acres of orchard. “It just kept growing into what it is today,” Barbara says.
Abigail’s aunt, Katherine, and cousin, Emily, own and operate a farmers’ market in Winchester. The Homestead Farm at Fruit Hill Orchard LLC, served by Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, sits on the same property as John Thwaite’s original cold storage building. “If you’re passing through Winchester, stop by Homestead Farm,” Abigail says. “You can buy ice cream, pre-picked apples, peaches and all kinds of produce.”
A FAMILY TRADITION
Terry Lintecum says there’s nothing better than “putting something in the ground, saying a prayer over it and hoping that it grows” — and then seeing people enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Barbara and Terry say there’s an incredible sense of pride in seeing their children keep the family business thriving. “I can’t tell you what a blessing it is to have been raised in a farming family and then see our children step up and take over. It’s a beautiful thing,” she explains.
There are, of course, challenges when operating an orchard: weather that damages crops, keeping inventory in stock and not having the space to accommodate the growth of the orchard — for parking, especially.
“We have such a wonderful community around us. The outpouring of support from our community is what helped sustain us, especially during the early years,” Barbara says.
When asked what makes the orchard special, Abigail doesn’t hesitate. “First and foremost, we see our orchard and market as a ministry opportunity to share the love of Christ with all those who visit us,” she says.
The second thing that makes the orchard special is that it is steeped in family history. “My family has been growing fruit for over a hundred years, and that’s something we’re really proud of. We think family is very important, so it’s vital to us that we create a beautiful, fun and inviting place where families want to come and spend some time together and make special memories.”
According to Terry, there’s nothing better than “putting something in the ground, saying a prayer over it and hoping that it grows” — and then seeing people enjoy the fruits of their labor.
For More Information
Fruit Hill Orchard, 2745 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy., Palmyra, VA 22963
Phone: 434-589-7215
Email: [email protected]
Website: fruithillorchard.com
It’s a Fact
The peach develops from a single ovary and ripens into a juicy edible part with a hard interior, also known as the stone or pit. The flesh of the peach can be yellow, white or even red. It is believed that the fuzzy skin surrounding the peach acts as a barrier against insects, helps repel excess moisture, and traps moisture inside the peach to prevent it from drying out. Peaches are very nutritious and contain high amounts of fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C.