Sunshine Valley Farms marks 20 years in the Ozarks

Now's the perfect time to take a peaceful country drive out to Sunshine Valley Farm in Rogersville. After two poor growing years, the orchard has experienced prime weather in 2009 for producing apples.

"We have some varieties we have never been able to grow as well; Empire is one and Jonagold is another," says co-owner Jan Wooten.

Founded in 1989 by Wooten and her husband, Michael, Sunshine Valley Farm Inc. has been growing 18 varieties of apples for 20 years. The property, located east of Springfield off Sunshine Street, was a 10-year quest for the Wootens. Now, the 30-acre farm boasts 2,000 apple trees and has become a destination for those interested in picking fresh berries during the summer, for anyone with a hankering for a fresh meal from the cafe or for a fruit pie or turnover to serve at home.

Fruit is available starting in mid-June with blueberries and black raspberries, progressing through blackberries and peaches in July and August. Apple sales start in July and run through November. Apple picking is offered only on select days in the fall. "When we started, nobody asked about picking, but over the past few years we have had an increasing number of people asking," Jan Wooten says.

Parents bring their kids to pick apples for the experience, and during apple season, Sunshine Valley Farm welcomes school groups of a variety of ages to the orchard. Students can learn what makes apples grow, tour the apple orchard, have a piece of apple cake and take home apples to share. Starting on Oct. 17, the public can take tours of the orchard at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Jan Wooten grew up in New Jersey and Connecticut and came to the Ozarks in 1978. Michael Wooten was born in Hawaii and moved around a bit as a military child.

"This is home now," Jan Wooten says. "We've been here longer than anywhere else."

Wooten was a French teacher and took horticulture classes at Missouri State University in the 1980s. "Michael and I looked off and on for a property for 10 years and found this," she says, pointing to the acreage around her. After Michael retired as a physician five years ago, the couple started managing the orchard fulltime.

Many aspects

The farm is a multifaceted business.

"It's really a three-legged stool: the fresh fruit, the bakery and lunch," Wooten says.

The importance of each branch of the business became evident two years ago when a big April freeze killed most of the fruit.

"We kept the restaurant open, but we don't work very well as just a restaurant," Wooten adds. "People want to come for all the fun stuff."

Opening the café 15 years ago was a challenge. "I had no experience in it, and I knew it was a risky business," Wooten recalls.

She hired a cook who had restaurant experience to help develop a strategy, and they decided to expand the menu from bakery items to include hot lunches.

"We didn't want to be just a tea room, so we have barbecue beef, individual pizzas. We make all of our own homemade bread," Wooten says. "We are always highlighting whatever is freshest and in season."

This month's introduction is grilled apples seasoned with rosemary. "We serve them as a side dish and incorporate them into our harvest quesadillas," she explains.

Seven years ago, the Wootens doubled the size of their café, which now can serve 40 customers inside and 40 outside.

May kicks off the fruit season at Sunshine Valley Farm, which allows people to sit outside on the porch and enjoy the view. The manicured gardens surrounding the public building showcase colorful perennials and annuals.

"The drive out there is relaxing, and I like sitting on the big porch outside," says Kelly Kennedy, executive director of the Retail Confectioners International, who has lunch at the café with friends or business associates a few times a year. "I like to pick up those turnovers."

Although the fruit is not organically grown, the Wootens try to grow things as sustainably as possible.

"Before we planted the berry field, we had a magnesium shortage in the soil, so we brought in turkey litter to improve it," Jan Wooten notes. "We use chemicals as sparingly as possible, so we know when to spray appropriately."Sunshine Valley Farm operates a fruit orchard, market and café in Rogersville.

• The market and café hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. On Sundays, the orchard and café are open noon-3 pm.

• The fresh fruit also is sold at the Springfield Farmers Market on Saturdays at Battlefield Mall. "We sell them by the pound, the peck, the half-bushel and the bushel," Jan Wooten says. "Once they get to the peck price, there's a discount." A 20-pound bag costs $28, and a small bag is $8.45.