Kimmel Orchard in Nebraska City, Nebraska, was owned and operated by Richard and and Laurine (Oetgen) Kimmel. This year marks the orchard’s 100th anniversary. (Kimmel Orchard photos)
Kimmel Orchard was established in 1925 and is still going strong today.
Families enjoy the u-pick events at Kimmel Orchard.
Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard, located at 5995 G Road in Nebraska City, Nebraska, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Kimmel Orchard was established in 1925 in the rolling hills near Nebraska City by Richard Kimmel, a Nebraska City native who was also a WWI veteran and manager of Kimmel Farms (a farm established in the 1850s by his grandfather, John). A year after opening the orchard, Richard married Laurine Oetgen, who also grew up in Nebraska City as a neighbor to the Kimmel family. Together, they built Kimmel Orchard with hard work and innovation. The orchard wasn’t just their business – it was their home. Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard is a 501(c)3 organization run by the Board of the Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard Educational Foundation. All revenue from the operations goes back into its mission-related activities, the mission being education, historic preservation, and wholesome family experiences. The orchard consists of 90 acres of fruit production. The Kimmels believed in sharing what their orchard produced at their historic roadside fruit stand. A portion of that stand remains in the current Apple Barn store.
Mr. Kimmel was an innovator. E. H. Hoppert, Extension Horticulturist from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, shared information about the latest fruit growing research with Mr. Kimmel on frequent visits to the orchard. The orchard pivoted to vegetable production when many of the trees were impacted by the Armistice Day freeze in 1940. Richard was also one to give anyone an opportunity to work on the farm. He recruited a workforce from the German POW Camp in Weeping Water when there was a labor shortage during WWII. It started with a crew of four POWs. The Kimmels sponsored one of those workers to return and work in the orchard after the war. When Mr. Kimmel retired, he took over the orchard operations.
Even as she worked alongside Richard to build Kimmel Orchard, Laurine continued to perfect her love for art and painting. She gained national recognition for her series of watercolor paintings depicting old outhouses titled “American Architecture.” She remained active in the community, painting and working with the orchard until her death in 1993 at the age of 92.
Much of the work done today in the orchard remains manual labor. Unlike row cropping, precision agriculture enhancements aren’t as plentiful for fruit farming. Two key pieces of equipment utilized are the cider press and apple sorter. There are over 35,000 apples trees with over 20 varieties of apples. The apple trees today are grown on a high-density planting method using a trellis system to support the weight and keep the trees upright. However, Kimmel Orchard produces more than just an apple crop: strawberries and cherries in June, blackberries and peaches in July, and Asian and Bartlett pears in August, as well as the apples from August through October. The orchard also produces six varieties of wine grapes that are used to create 18 wines in partnership with Whiskey Run Creek Winery. Wines include red, white, fruit, and mead. The orchard also grows pumpkins. Year-round orchard care is required to keep the trees healthy, with pruning done in winter. Well-pruned trees produce better crops. Spraying to fight pests and disease is done throughout the growing season.
The Apple Barn Store is open from April through November each year. The top selling product is the orchard’s apple cider donuts made fresh in the baking kitchen. During the growing season, between 1,200 to 3,600 donuts are made each week. During apple season, that number increases substantially from 5,000 to 30,000 per week. U-pick events are scheduled for fresh fruit when the harvest is plentiful. When the orchard has a smaller crop, the workers pick the fresh fruit and sell it in the Apple Barn.
The orchard’s workforce is small (four full-time employees) and grows to approximately 25 seasonal employees. Its mission of education drives its partnerships with UNL, where it works closely with the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the UNL Bee Lab, and others to provide educational activities around agriculture. The orchard provides educational tours, an ag career day, Kimmel Kids Club, Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska summer camps, and summer internships for college students. Kimmel Charitable Foundation also provides Catalyst Grants. There’s never a slow time at the orchard. Besides planting, growing and tending to, as well as harvesting the orchard and running the shop, the orchard also holds major events such as Donut Fest, Growing Great Kids Race, the Apple Jack Festival, Scarecrow Festival, and Christmas at Kimmel. Visitors each year come from many places, both far and near. The Apple Jack Festival brings over 10,000 visitors each day. Additionally, thousands of visitors of all ages take educational hayrack tours and participate in the many events held at Kimmel throughout the season.
The orchard has held a number of special events throughout 2025 to celebrate its century of business. Each event held a special connection to the anniversary in some way. The American Architecture Quilt Block was held in March, which honored Laurine’s “American Architecture” art collected with a quilt block designed by Heritage Needlework Guild of Nebraska City featuring an outhouse. A Ride Back in Time Car Show took place in April and featured Model T rides, the car being driven at the time the orchard began. The Apple Blossom Dinner was held in May to celebrate the past, present, and future at Kimmel Orchard. An Antique Tractor Show took place in June and featured agricultural equipment from the many decades that Kimmel has been in business. The German Christmas Market will be held Saturday, December 6, as a nod to the orchard’s history of German POW workers from the Weeping Water German POW Camp, who kept the orchard thriving during WWII when local labor was hard to find.
The orchard’s establishment marked the beginning of a rich and innovative agricultural tradition in the Nebraska City area. What started as a simple roadside fruit stand became a favorite destination for those seeking a slice of country life in the Missouri River Valley. The orchard will continue to carry out the vision the Kimmels established 100 years ago to share what the land produces with neighbors and friends, with a continued focus on education and agriculture research activities.
Come celebrate Kimmel Orchard’s 100th anniversary at the 58th annual AppleJack Festival, which will include two weekends full of family fun. The first weekend, September 19-21, includes the AppleJack Fun Run/Walk, carnival rides and games, flea market and craft shows, AppleJack Pancake Feed, AppleJack Parade, water barrel fights, extreme bull riding, and the River City Classic Car Club Show. The second weekend, September 27-28, will include the Apple Jamboree with petting zoo, rides, and kid-friendly activities, a downtown Cider Stroll presented by Crown Royal Apple (a 21 and over adventure featuring apple-inspired drinks), and the AppleJack Wrestling Smackdown. And as always, there are hayrack rides, apple picking, and cider doughnuts to enjoy at the orchard. A Scarecrow Festival to include scarecrow building classes will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, September 28. Bring your own supplies to build a life-sized scarecrow or purchase a kit on site for $25. Scarecrows will be on display through October 26th. If you are bringing your own supplies, items suggested include: For the Head – burlap sack, a pillowcase, an old pumpkin, a balloon, or pie pan; For the Body – a shirt (preferably a long-sleeved, button-up), bottoms (pants, jeans, overalls, etc.), suspenders, and rope; Accessories/Decorations – gloves, hat, scarf, buttons (to attach to the face), paint (for the face), and zip ties (to attach to the provided pole); and Stuffing – plastic bags, pillow fill, straw, old newspapers, or fabric scraps. Pre-registration is recommended. Call 402-873-5293.
Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard’s regular hours of operation are Wednesday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit kimmelorchard.org or the Kimmel Orchard Facebook page.
