There is something indescribably special about the fall season in Champaign-Urbana. As a native Chicago suburbanite, it’s possible that my sense of C-U’s small-town, Americana charm gets a bit exaggerated around this time of year, as pumpkin patches, barn dances and corn mazes make their seasonal appearance. However, I can’t imagine that many would disagree with my very fervent belief that fall in Central Illinois is, unequivocally, the best. Curtis Orchard, a veritable institution in the greater C-U area since 1977, is in the business of the fall season — their apple cider donuts have become a staple of autumn diets and a visit, or multiple visits, to their fun, festive grounds is an absolute necessity before the unpredictable Illinois weather takes a turn for the freezing. Whether making thousands of gallons of cider a week during their peak season or planning new holiday events each year, the staff at Curtis Orchard works tirelessly to ensure all of the local community’s autumn needs are taken care of. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Chris from Curtis Orchard, who took the time to answer a few of my questions about what goes on behind the scenes at one of Champaign-Urbana’s favorite establishments.
Smile Politely: Fall seems to be Curtis Orchard’s busiest season. What is a typical day like for Curtis Orchard staff?
Chris: During the week, we’re constantly welcoming school groups for tours. Our bakery staff begins their day early, baking enough donuts and pies to hopefully last us the entire day. A separate cafe staff arrives early too, preparing & serving lunch every day. And, an outdoor staff helps us with our kids’ activities, picking & sorting apples, and even making cider once a week.
Smile Politely: What goes on during the off-season?
Chris: We actually spend most of the off-season, January through June, getting ready for the next season. Our goal is to have something new each year. One year, it was our miniature golf play area. Another year we added a giant rocking chair. Two years ago, we expanded the store. So, we’re always thinking about what we could do for the next season. Beyond capital improvements, we’re constantly searching for unique products to sell in the store – stuff you can’t find at the grocery store or in the mall. In the orchard, we’re busy with pruning, a process called thinning, and maintenance like mowing. Some customers think that we just kick back the months we’re not open, but nothing could be further from the truth. Plus, we have to hire up to 90 seasonal employees. It takes a lot of time to find, train and schedule the staff we need.
Smile Politely: What, if any, special events will Curtis Orchard host this year? Anything related to the upcoming fall/winter holidays?
Chris: November’s a big pie month, so our bakery typically goes bonkers the week before Thanksgiving. In fact, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is always the biggest single day for pie sales every year. In December, we host an event called Breakfast with Santa. Its popularity has blown us away. After selling out every time slot last season, we’re offering three time slots on Saturday, December 6th and Sunday, December 7th. It’s $17 admission and includes a filling breakfast, cookie decorating, Santa’s arrival on a horse-drawn cart, pictures with Santa and a short drama production. It is always a lot of fun.
Smile Politely: What is the process/procedure for making Curtis’ famous apple cider and apple donuts? Who makes them, and how much is made for each season?
Chris: You’ve hit on our signature products. Randy Graham’s our cider master and makes about 2000 gallons every week in order to meet the demand. We even sell to some area grocery stores after October. The process is so labor-intensive that the cider crew gets up sometimes as early as 4 a.m. and they make as much as they can in one day. The donuts are also a favorite. On the busy weekends, we sometimes begin at 5 a.m., and even then we have a hard time keeping up on a packed Saturday or Sunday. We’re talking thousands pumped out of our two donut-making machines on those days.
Smile Politely: What is your favorite part of working at Curtis? What does the Curtis Orchard staff look forward to most each year?
Chris: My favorite part of Curtis Orchard is seeing how it’s grown over the years. Very humble beginnings. We had no idea that it would someday win the state’s top agritourism award in 2007 or that Randy would win 2nd best cider in the nation in 2001. The challenge now is to keep up with the demand and the crowds. God has blessed us and we hope that we, in turn, are blessing the community. It certainly is rewarding to see customers make memories and leave with smiles on their faces.
Curtis Orchard is located at 3902 S Duncan Road in Champaign.