Load the apples, send them on the conveyor belt for a quick wash, grind, pump, press, then pour. This process has been perfected and done for decades at Heckman Orchards in Effort.

The fresh apple cider is available in Heckman's store on-site, plus local grocery stores and farm stands, between September and December. “There is only a short window out of the year to get it if you want the best and freshest cider,” said Mark Heckman, co-owner.

Meet Mark Heckman. His parents, Lawrence and Marlene, started the business in 1962. They bought a farmhouse on the property and surrounding land, but didn't plan on becoming farmers.

“There were old fruit trees on the property because the previous owners had sold apples here. People kept stopping and asking my parents for apples, so they started learning how to prune and take care of them,” Mark explained.

They eventually expanded the roadside stand they started with and added more crops, growing from 27 acres to over 300. Mark and his brother, Lynn, now lead the daily operations, although their parents remain deeply involved.

Mark’s son, Daniel, and daughter, Amber, also work at Heckman Orchards, making this a three-generation family farm.

“I’ve grown up in this atmosphere. I enjoy being outside, having the opportunity to see where my food comes from, and then my children are also now getting that same experience. They know where an apple comes from, how strawberries grow, where potatoes come from. And it’s special, because a lot of children don't have that experience anymore,” said Amber Borger, assistant manager.

On select dates during different seasons, visitors can pick their own strawberries, cherries, apples, pumpkins, and cut-your-own Christmas Trees.

A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables are available in the store, including more than 20 varieties of apples, when they're in season.

“We grow most of the things you can grow in Pennsylvania. That starts the season with strawberries and develops into zucchini, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet corn, peaches, and tomatoes. And if we don't grow it ourselves, we try to source it locally,” Amber added.

Which customers appreciate. “There are no additives and all that other stuff that you get in the grocery store. You know it's all homegrown,” said Romaine Miller, customer from Kunkletown.

From pressing apples to picking crops and everything in between, running a family farm of this size is no easy task. It sometimes requires long hours, seven days a week. But here, it's all about planting roots and watching them grow.

PTN’s Brianna Strunk said to Amber, “your dad [Mark] says the farm is in its third generation, but he’s hoping it will become fourth generation and so forth. Is that your hope, as well?”

She answered, “yes, that would be awesome to see this keep growing and developing.”

Mark added, “we just enjoy what we're doing. You start out with a small seed, put it in the ground, fertilize it and watch it grow. It's just hard to believe what you come up with. Throw a potato in the ground and a couple months later, you're digging up piles of potatoes. It's amazing how Mother Nature is.”

Heckman Orchards is open May through Christmastime. You can call in advance or check their website to find out what produce is in stock, and exact dates for pick-your-own.