Founded in 1898

The Douglas family purchased the land in 1898 and milked cows through the 1920s and ’30s.

4 Generations of Douglas’

Scott and Bob Douglas were the fourth, and final generation of Douglas’ to operate the farm. “Before selling the property, we wanted to protect the land from future development. We’ve worked hard to maintain and adapt the orchard over the years. It feels good to ensure it will continue to have a role in Shoreham’s agricultural future.” — Scott Douglas.

Conservation with the VLT

The Douglas family worked with the Vermont Land Trust to protect the Douglas Orchard & Cider Mill’s 181 acres. The conservation easement ensures the land will remain available to future farmers.

Pick Your Own Fruits

Since the beginning, they’ve grown the land into a thriving apple orchard that’s become an important tourist attraction and community asset, offering pick-your-own apples, strawberries and raspberries, as well as fresh-pressed cider, cherries and pears.

Purchase by Champlain Orchards

“For the past 22 years I have been emulating Bob and Scott Douglas as they care for their family farm and orchards, just down the road from us. After years of discussions and planning, we were able to officially purchase the 180-acre farm, allowing Bob & Terry, and Scott & Sue Douglas to officially begin a well-earned retirement. The Douglas family has been very supportive of Champlain Orchards over the years and I am thrilled to be able to preserve this historic orchard for future generations and continue on their legacy and values.

There are many more stories that Bob and Scott can tell while smiling about the young “flatlander” they have worked with over the years, but let’s switch to discussing how we intend to manage the challenge of running two unique PYO/retail operations. Over the years we have worked hard to not compete with the Douglas family when growing our PYO operation here at Champlain Orchards. We respect that some customers have formed loyalties to each farm, while other folks travel back and forth to experience both. Many companies absorb a competitor and simply overlay their own company traits. However, we see an opportunity to continue to maintain the unique experiences each farm offers, so people can appreciate older trees vs new trellis, traditional apple varieties vs uncommon varieties etc. While staffing two operations will be challenging, we really like the opportunity for visitors to spread out and enjoy the freedom of both orchards.

There are uncertain times ahead for us all, but thanks to your loyal support we can continue to keep the Vermont apple landscape alive. We look forward to seeing you this summer and fall for a safe, bountiful PYO season, thank you!” — Bill Suhr, Owner