MUKWONAGO — Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago is welcoming families for its fall harvest season, featuring apple picking, pumpkin picking, a corn maze, cider donuts and the market's nationally recognized apple pie baked in a paper bag.
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The orchard is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The market is open every day of the year from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This weekend, the farm is hosting Harvest Fest, where visitors can pick apples and pumpkins, navigate a corn maze and grab drinks and cider donuts before heading into the market to shop for fall treats.
Keith Schmidt, owner at Elegant Farmer, said the farm's signature item has become a phenomenon decades in the making.
"Our apple pie baked in a paper bag really started back in 1990 and it's grown from there," Schmidt said.
The pie is made exclusively with fresh-sliced Ida Red apples. Its signature sugar cookie crunchy-topped crust was actually the result of a mistake.
"The ladies here in the bakery goofed up the top crust and the owner said, 'Oh my gosh, this is something special,' and that's how it all started. He played on it," Keith said.
For Keith, the farm's role in the community goes beyond the products it sells.
"I love this business, and it's all about making people happy. I think it's fun," he said. "A lot of people come here for the history, and we have generations of people, grandparents coming with their children and grandchildren. It's wonderful."
I spoke with Keith at a table filled with items made right at Elegant Farmer, as the farm prepared to welcome families for the first fall weekend.
A cars and coffee event is also scheduled at Elegant Farmer Saturday from 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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