Gundersen Orchards was started by Harold and Eloise Gundersen in 1989. After working as an engineer for years in New York and Illinois, Harold was ready for a career change. He found farming intriguing and challenging, so he and his wife, Eloise, moved for Michigan to begin their journey as fruit farmers.
They started the farm with a mere 100 apple trees. Over the last seventeen years, they expanded their farm to grow apricots, raspberries, peaches, blueberries, pears, apples, and blackberries. For years, they traveled to Illinois to provide fresh fruit to the residents there. In 2015, they decided to retire and turn the day-to-day operations over to their grandson, Brett Gundersen.
Brett has had a lifelong passion for nature and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Nature Conservation. He enjoys learning about farming from his grandfather while spending the day working outside.
Gundersen Orchards is truly a family endeavor. Brett works in the orchards full time with help from his grandparents. On certain weekends, his brother Jarett, sister, Brooke, and father, Eric, will come to Michigan to help with the farm chores. You’ll find Brett at every Naperville market and his mother, Mari, and cousin, Luke, at most Winfield markets.
