Rich history grows on local family farm Farm By JACKIE PUGLISI The Winchester Star WINCHESTER When you enter the property of the newly opened Homestead Farm at Fruit Hill Orchard, it s easy to see its history. The farm market, which held its grand opening Aug. 13 at 2502 North Frederick Pike, is located yards away from a 1760s twostory log cabin that is nestled near the farm s chicken coop. The market s large front porch and rocking chairs welcome guests. Inside, fresh produce can be found tucked inside crates some that came generations before owner Katherine Solenberger. Guests will also see pies, breads and other sweet treats made from scratch, along with handmade lye soap and scented soy candles all made by Solenberger s daughter and market coowner Emily Whitesell. Helping the mother daughter team is employee and Frederick County resident Debbie Triplett. The farm market is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Fresh produce includes squash, zucchini, green beans, freestone peaches, watermelon, sweet corn and potatoes. Fresh brown eggs are provided by the farm s chickens, which are fed organic feed. An herb garden features basil, thyme, oregano, lemon balm and dill. Currently, guests may pick their own blackberries, zinnias and sunflowers. Solenberger said they recently picked about 350 quarts of blackberries. Our real forte is apples, Solenberger said. The farm is part of the family s apple empire. Solenberger s great uncle J. Fred Thwaite built up the apple industr y in the area. Her father, Robert Solenberger, created Fruit Hill Orchard, the parent company to The Homestead Farm. And Solenberger s sister, Diane Solenberger Kearns, is the co owner of Winchester Ciderworks just down the road from the farm. The Homestead Farm currently has Ginger Gold and Gala apples for sale, with 3,200 acres of apples in production. Solenberger said the produce is non GMO, and the farm uses organic fertilizer. In three years, we can go organic, she said. A James Wood High School graduate, Whitesell, 23, has been baking since she was a little girl. For the market, she creates homemade pies featuring a flaky butter crust with fruit from the farm. She also makes zucchini bread and applesauce cakes from scratch. Whitesell said her lye soap is soft on the skin while also being powerful enough to take stains out of clothing. Along with the lye, the soap includes coconut, palm and olive oils. Whitesell said it took about three years to get the soy candles just right, but now she is able to make several batches at a time. Solenberger s younger sister, Barbara Lintecum, owns a market in Palmyra that is also under the umbrella of Fruit Hill Orchard, and she sells Whitesell s candles and soaps at her location. Eileen Chamberlain, owner of Fabulous Wreaths, also sells her creations at the farm market and plans to release a country line to sell at the site. Solenberger gained possession of the property in March from David and Linda Lay, former owners of Linda s Mercantile and Farm Market who were renting the land. Ownership of the property has been in Solenberger s family since the 1800s, when her greatgreat great grandfather, James Thwaite, began farming there. The log cabin just to the left of the See Farm, Page B6
The Homestead Farm at Fruit Hill Orchard held a grand opening Aug. 13 at 2502 North Frederick Pike. The market is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. SCOTT MASON/ The Winchester Star Homestead Farm at Fruit Hill Orchard manager Emily Whitesell stands by some of the pies she has baked. from Page B5 market was owned by Thwaite. The home and the property have stayed in the family since he resided there. That s why it s called the Homestead Farm, Solenberger said. We want the [market] to take you back in time and make people feel like they are in an old country store. We want people to come here and see what it was like the way it used to be. The property has about 300 acres, which includes land across the street from the market that includes the home Solenberger s great uncle Fred built. The Homestead Farm at Fruit Hill Orchard also holds weekly events. On Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p. m., bluegrass can be heard coming from musicians playing on the front porch. On Saturdays, the market will have barbecue for sale.
Our longterm goal is to be a venue for weddings, Solenberger said. We re hoping to book weddings and parties after hours. For more information about the farm, visit www. thehomesteadfarmatfruithillorchard. com. Contact Jackie Puglisi at jpuglisi@winchesterstar. com Follow on Twitter @LifeWinStar The Homestead Farm at Fruit Hill Orchard manager Emily Whitesell (left) stands with her mother, owner Katherine Solenberger, in the flower garden at the farm. SCOTT MASON/ The Winchester Star Debbie Triplett, chicken whisperer at Homestead Farm at Fruit Hill Orchard, checks on the farm s hens on Tuesday. Friday, 08/19/2016 Pag.B05 Copyright 2016 Winchester Star 8/19/2016
Friday, 08/19/2016 Pag.B06 Copyright 2016 Winchester Star 8/19/2016