About Us

Pleasant Valley Orchard is a family owned orchard with its first tree plantings in 1990. Our goal is to provide quality strawberries, apples, pumpkins and fresh bakery products in a family friendly environment.

We utilize integrated pest management techniques, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota, to manage the orchard. This means we spend a lot of time monitoring and trapping pests in order to minimize our use of pesticides. We do this to protect the environment and to ensure our apples are absolutely free of any pesticide residues when we pick them.

In 2006, Pleasant Valley Orchard converted the vintage gray pole shed into a new red apple shed. A new red pole shed was also built, with an overhang that now houses the kids korral and is the starting point for hayrides. Orchard guests can relax on an old church pew here and enjoy the view.

The new barn-red apple shed boasts spacious retail space with large windows providing great views of the orchard and St. Croix Valley. The interior is finished off with old red barn board, the tin off the original pole shed and features a wood burning stove to ward off the late fall chill.

Pleasant Valley Orchard was the recipient of the 2001 New Initiative Award for Chisago County by the University of Minnesota Extension Service.

Pleasant Valley Orchard is a member of the Minnesota Apple Growers Association, the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, the Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Chisago Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Jim serves on the Board of the Chisago County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Franconia Town Board. Judy serves on the Board of the Falls Chamber and was appointed to the Minnesota Grown Board.

Pleasant Valley Orchard is owned and operated by the husband and wife team, Jim Birkholz and Judy Erickson, along with their three children, Joe, Amelia and Sam Birkholz.