Know Your Farmer: McCleaf's Orchards

Meet Corey McCleaf, a sixth generation farmer on McCleaf’s Orchards in Biglerville, PA! We get all of our delicious apples and apple cider from Corey’s farm. Take a minute to read about his story, his favorite apple crisp recipe, and how he does his part to fight food waste.

Hungry Harvest: Tell us a little about what you do!
Corey McCleaf: The farm has been in my family since 1888, so we’re the sixth generation! We started out growing and processing fruit, so we sold to processors like Musselman’s for apple sauce. Since then, we’ve transitioned over to farmer’s markets, which is much more profitable. Now, we’re currently doing 10 farmers markets a week. We’re growing 40 varieties of apples, 21 varieties of peaches, plums, apricots, raspberries, blackberries! We have about 10 acres of vegetables. We have three farms, growing on around 150 acres!

HH: What’s your favorite kind of apple?
CM: Crimson Crisp!

HH: Most delicious apple product?
CM: We make an apple crisp and that’s what I like! Check out this good recipe.

HH: How do you fight food waste?
CM: In my own house, my son has over 200 chickens! All of our food waste goes to the chickens and they eat it all! That’s pretty much what we do with any kind waste. On our farm, we work with a gleaning group and they take anything that can’t find a home. They give it to homeless shelters and homeless people.

HH: How does Hungry Harvest help?
CM: If we weren’t selling these apples to Hungry Harvest, they’d have to go straight to the processor. Hungry Harvest has been great. Things have been working well though I do get a little tired on Wednesdays to fulfill the order!!