Who We Are
Wheeler's Orchard and Vineyard is a small, diversified family farm. We practices sustainable agriculture - an integrative pest, disease, and soil management system that respects the health and vitality of the environment, wildlife, farmer and consumer. We closely monitor the trees and vines to positively identify disease, pests and deficiencies before sprayings, determine when spraying is warranted, and spray only organic products when possible. The apple trees at the orchard onsite have been chemical-free for the last two growing seasons. We lease another small orchard down the road where our apples are low spray.
Any ingredients we don't grow ourselves, we source as much as possible from our fellow farmers who have similar growing practices.
Come on by during our events season to see the Orchard & Vineyard for yourself! You can also find us at our Farm Store where you can shop for many locally grown products or come on by our nursery to see what plants you can grow at your own home!
Where it all Began
In June of 1974, Wade and Ann Wheeler finally found the farm they had been in search of for years. Two months later, just before a new school year was about to begin, they moved their family of 9 children from the suburbs of Chattanooga to Fredonia Mountain, just outside the town of Dunlap, TN.
The 50 acre farm they had just purchased had once been home to a diversified farm which included an apple orchard. Though the site of the old orchard was overgrown, it was an ideal location for an apple orchard because it sat in a gorge where warm air from the valley provided extra protection against late spring frosts. Wade and the 9 children began clearing that fall.
The first apple trees were planted in the spring of 1978. The next year they began planting the small grape vineyard. Now, almost 4 decades later, Wade's children and even some of the grandkids are transforming the orchard & vineyard into a diversified, sustainable farm.