Maine-ly Apples Orchard celebrates 40 years of business

DIXMONT, Maine (WABI) - There’s a rich history behind Maine-ly Apples in Dixmont.

Behind every tree and every bite is a story.

“We moved down here in the early 70s from Plymouth,” said John Olsen, owner of the orchard. “We had cows and these fields that are out here were hay fields. You get tired of cutting thousands of barrels of hay, so we said, well, let’s plant some apple trees.”

Customers couldn’t even pick a number from 1 through 100 to guess how many trees and varieties of apples they now have.

“We’re up around 1,600 trees and around 50 varieties,” said Olsen.

After the pandemic, the orchard decided to open on Fridays through Sundays instead of seven days a week, but this weekend has an important meaning.

“We did start this 40 years ago and my daughter Emily decided this was a good time to have a celebration for 40 years in business,” said Olsen.

All weekend, your apple picking experience will be elevated, and not just because of the delicious products they offer.

They’ll have a food truck, live music, and free gifts for the community which has supported them for so long.

TV5 asked one family just how long they’ve been Maine-ly Apple’s customers.

“Jeez, a long time, probably a couple of decades,” said a Hampden native. “They’re knowledgeable, they answer any questions you have, and it’s a place that we enjoy coming to.”

While their 40th anniversary will focus on their success, the family is always finding a way to support local small businesses like their own.

“We support local people,” said Olsen. “You know, we bring in a lot of stuff from Eureka Farms in Palmyra, and we just had a guy stop this morning and bring beets and peppers.”

That’s how things have worked around Maine-ly Apples for 40 years, giving to the community that gives back.

For more information on the orchard you can go to their website.

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