The Ørchard harvests its seeds of success

CATAWBA ISLAND — An agricultural-first business steeped deep in European culture further rooted itself in Ohio by undertaking a recent massive expansion. What sprouted as a result of COVID-19 evolved into the Ørchard Farm Stand, which expands upon the adjacent Ørchard Bar & Table restaurant on Catawba Island. Pundits and critics consider Ørchard Bar & Table, which opened in 2014, as one of the area's premier fine-dining establishments. "As a restaurant, like so many others all over the country, we were greatly impacted," said Ørchard's brand manager Hannah Vlk, referencing restrictions the state placed on eateries throughout spring 2020. "Our bar and table was closed, and we had to think of something else to stay in business." So its owners, the Blumensaadt family, became inspired to pursue a concept somewhat foreign in the Midwest but quite familiar in Denmark, where their ancestors hail from. Within walking distance from Ørchard Bar & Table, and still on NE Catawba Road (Ohio 53), the farm stand arose: • Phase 1, which debuted in spring 2020, consists of a retail and produce store. The market features gourmet jams, jellies, coffees, baked goods, chocolates and more with a majority of products coming from Ohio-based vendors. It also offers high-quality kitchenware. • Phase 2, which opened this past August, serves as a secondary on-site restaurant, complementing the Ørchard Bar & Table's offerings. Offering a completely different menu, it's a more casual, family-friendly setting. Each ingredient going into these made-from-scratch foods comes from the Ørchard's site, about 10 acres in total. The menu constantly changes, depending upon a particular season. The staples, however, revolve around applewood-fired pizzas and sandwiches. "Our applewood comes from our apple orchard. Our honey comes from our beehives," said Vlk, providing a few examples. The land boasts 650 grapevines, 85 apple trees, 75 peach trees — with another 100 planted this past fall — of the blue haven variety, 10 beehives and five herb gardens. With both in operation, this qualifies the Ørchard as an accredited agritourism venue. What it means: People can visit a working farm or other agricultural operation for the purpose of enjoyment, education or other active involvement all to promote agriculture. • Phase 3, which opened over Thanksgiving Day weekend, involves a heated indoor-outdoor bar with a private pavilion available for family parties. "All of this is a byproduct of COVID closing the restaurant down, but we were able to truly do something special here," said Vlk, noting the upgrades meant keeping and growing staffing levels, which total about 100 people today. "Now, we have a ton of outdoor spaces in a safe environment that people can feel very comfortable where they can also eat locally and support a local business," she said. "This is a whole new experience for the Ørchard, but we are so excited to share it with anyone who would like to come and give it a try." The Ørchard Farm Stand is open daily. Search the business name online and on social media for more detailed information, including a list of operating hours and a full menu selection. What's in a name? Many might wonder why there's a slash in the "O" of Ørchard Bar & Table/Ørchard Farm Stand. Even with the slash, it's still pronounced "oar-churd." Because the business owners are of Danish descent, the Ø also translates to the word, "island," in Danish. And, being on Catawba Island while operating an orchard there, the owners believed this made perfect sense, Vlk said. "It all came together with the original apple orchard — we still maintain the original trees here from at least 50 years ago — the Danish heritage and being on Catawba Island."