Blue Roof Orchard

Every apple from Blue Roof Orchard is the culmination of a year’s work. “It starts in winter,” says Chris McGuire, who runs the farm with his wife, Juli. “That’s when we do most of our pruning, which is one of the most time-consuming tasks.” As a certified organic orchard, every aspect of their process requires extra effort, from testing new disease-resistant varieties to maintaining a healthy orchard floor to shaping each tree so the apples that grow receive direct sunlight. That work pays off, however. “People tell us, ‘Oh, the apples are just so good, my kids won’t eat supermarket apples anymore,’” says Juli.

Blue Roof Orchard primarily sells their apples through a CSA, with a variety of box sizes available for weekly or bi-weekly pick-up at over 20 locations in and around Madison and southwest Wisconsin. Because they grow varieties that thrive in southcentral Wisconsin, their harvest season lasts for three months, ensuring that members get to taste a wide variety of apples at the exact moment they ripen. “We go out to sample each variety when it’s almost ripe, tasting to make sure it’s perfect,” says Chris. “I really look forward to Winecrisp. It’s a dark red and purple russeted apple with a rich, complex, spiced flavor. It ranks number one in our CSA member survey at the end of every year.” Additionally, Juli has developed recipes for no-sugar-added applesauce and apple butter, available in select Madison stores and as an add-on for CSA members, made from a blend of different apples to ensure prime sweetness and tartness.

Chris and Juli have been farming on this land for over 23 years, which means they have personal relationships with every apple tree planted. They also have CSA members who have been with them since 2005, when they first started selling to the public. “We know what grows best on our land, but we’ve also gotten to know our community of eaters and have a strong relationship with them,” says Juli. “Our members have had kids who were born and then grew up eating our produce. That’s really rewarding to think about.”

Blue Roof Orchard is a family operation that’s centered around community support and delivering the best-tasting apples possible. Chris and Juli moved to Wisconsin specifically to start a farm where they could raise their family and be proud of the produce they grow. “What drives me to live and work at this place is really the love of food,” says Juli. They have a distinct passion for the apples they grow, and listening to Chris wax poetic about their different varieties is a delight. “Another one I love is the Chestnut Crab, which we’ve been growing for a few years, and we hope to pick enough to add it to this year’s CSA boxes. It's a small apple, but really delicious and complex.”

“My favorite variety,” adds Juli, “is always the one we’re picking right now.”