News

Stepp's, Sky Top nominated as best orchards in U.S.

By Bill Moss, Published: September 2, 2015

Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard in Edneyville and Sky Top Orchard in Flat Rock have been nominated as the best apple orchards in America in  USA Today’s 10 Best Readers' Choice travel award contest.

An expert panel selected Stepp's and Sky Top as contenders for Best Apple Orchard. The contest is being promoted by USA Today and gives voters four weeks to vote for the candidate of their choice here. Voters can vote once daily for the run of the contest.

Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard, at 170 Stepp Orchard Drive in Edneyville, was Henderson County’s First Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchard. It offers U-pick or already picked apples, apple cider doughnuts, farm tours, a corn maze, an apple cannon and more. For more information visit steppapples.com.

Sky Top Orchard, on Pinnacle Mountain Road in Flat Rock, has farm animals, wagon rides and apple cider doughnuts. Visit http://www.skytoporchard.com/ for more information.

The 20 orchards nominated are in Virginia, Georgia, New Hampshire, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Connecticutt, Kentucky, Vermont, Washington, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania and California.

According to the U.S. Apple Association, there are some 7,500 growers in the U.S. and each individual apple must be hand-picked.