Orondo couple offers fruit and entertainment

The idea is to not have all their eggs in one basket.

BY GERALDINE WARNER

"We're setting up to be a show producer--ag entertainment." Chuck Podlich

Orchardist Chuck Podlich is out of the house before 6 a.m. , just as he always was. But his first job these days is to make doughnuts. Dozens and dozens of them.

He heads up the hill to the corner of his orchard off Highway 97 at Orondo , Washington , where last year there were Fuji and Gala trees. He opens up his new Cider Works and store, and cranks up the doughnut machine.

Chuck and his wife, Sharon, grew up on the East Coast where cider and doughnuts are a popular combination. In 1979, figuring Washington was the place for budding orchardists, they drove across the country to look for jobs. Chuck found a pruning job in Wenatchee , and later a position as orchard manager of a newly planted orchard in Orondo.

In the early 1980s, they were partners in an orchard but in 1988 they bought their own 88 acres near Suncove, Orondo. About 35 acres were planted, mainly with Red and Golden Delicious, so they gradually replanted and expanded with Fuji , Gala, and other varieties. They grew strawberries to fill the space until they could plant more orchard. They've also grown peaches and bicolored super sweet corn to sell at farmers' markets.

Economies of scale

Now, as well as operating their own orchard, Chuck manages and leases another 120 contiguous acres, using one large crew that moves from block to block. All the orchards are within three miles.

"Ten years ago, it was four different operations with four different managers," he said. "Now it's consolidated into one, even though the ownership is separate. That's one way we've survived. We have some economies of scale."

The Cider Works has been in the back of their minds ever since they started growing apples. In recent years, the couple saw signs that it was time to make it a reality. The population in Orondo is growing, and the Highway 97 corridor is being developed for agritourism. They're situated 27 miles north of East Wenatchee and 10 miles south of Chelan, not far from the Desert Canyon Golf Course, and are on a tourist loop that is being promoted by the Cascade Foothills Farmland Association.

Coals to Newcastle

"When you live among apple growers, it's pretty hard to sell apples," Chuck noted. "When you have neighbors who aren't apple growers and don't know what apple growing's all about, there are opportunities for tourism."

A couple of years ago, they bought a rack-and-cloth cider press and refrigerated tanks at an auction, and Chuck visited Vermont and New York to look at how cider is made there. Then, they started to design the mill, with the help of Manson architect Larry Hibbard, who is also an orchardist and cider aficionado.

The Podlichs obtained their building permit in May this year and opened for business 90 days later--the week before Labor Day.

That was accomplished, Chuck says, partly through intense effort, but also because he had not realized that the various contractors shouldn't all be there at the same time.

The learning experience didn't end when the building was finished.

"I get to learn lots of new stuff," Chuck said. "I learned how to snowboard last winter, and I learned how to make doughnuts this summer. Now, I have to learn how to operate this cider press and all the equipment."

Like the doughnut machine, the cider press is designed primarily to entertain the customers. It's housed in a special room with windows so that customers can watch from the store. Its capacity is 100 gallons per hour.

"We're not set up to be a real efficient producer," Chuck explained. "We're setting up to be a show producer--ag entertainment."

They use a modern ultraviolet (UV) pasteurizer, which does not involve heating the juice. Although the treated cider is supposed to have a 30-day shelf life, Chuck planned to make small quantities more frequently to keep stocks fresh. He believes the length of time from processing affects the flavor more than the pasteurization process.

He will blend the various apple varieties available. Although Red Delicious alone does not make good-tasting juice, it does have a good aroma to contribute in a blend. When cherries are in season, they will do a cherry-apple blend. In the future, they might make hard cider.

Though doughnuts and cider are the main focus of the venture, the Podlichs recognized that being in a remote location, they could not specialize. They plan to grow strawberries and corn to sell next season along with fruit from their own and neighbors' orchards. They have an espresso stand and sell groceries, including milk and eggs.

"The store grew out of a realization that we needed to offer a little more than cider and doughnuts to stay viable," Sharon said.

The Podlichs are targeting four types of customers: seasonal residents, year-round residents, people driving by, and those for whom the Cider Works is the destination.

They estimate that cider making and store sales will absorb only 1 to 2 percent of their production, and most of their fruit will continue to be sold by the Chelan Fruit Growers Cooperative, where Chuck is a board member.

"That's still going to be my main outlet for apples," he said. "Over the years, I've diversified into different apple varieties, and different fruits, such as cherries and pears. This is my next diversification. I don't have all my eggs in one basket--that's how I approach it. The old system hasn't failed, but I want to be broader based.

"I don't think it's a necessity," he added. "I think it's an enhancement."

They are hoping to make the cider mill a year-round operation eventually, but will probably close for a time this year. "When we started out, we were committed to six months," Chuck said. "The banker's expecting six months a year. If I give him more than that, he'll be pleasantly surprised."

They are not counting on a quick payback. Chuck figures it will be operating in the black next year and able to service the debt on their 15-year mortgage. "So I guess my projections show we will have it all paid for in 15 years, unless we have to borrow money for something else."

During the first few weeks of operation, business was brisk. "The local community's talking about how they need to support us so we can support them," Chuck said.

"We have people just coming in to see what we have and say thank you for being here," Sharon added.