Orchard News

We’re now accepting sign-ups for our second season of premium apple and grass-fed beef, raised on the pastures of Swanson’s Mountain View Orchard!

This locally raised, sustainable beef is perfect for stocking your freezer with food you can feel good about. Reserve your quarter or half cow for spring 2026 — spots are limited! Learn More.

Our 2025 U-Pick season kicked off with a wonderful turnout, and we couldn’t be more grateful to our local community for coming out to the orchard. Watching families and friends enjoy the experience and sharing our fresh apple cider donuts made the start of our season truly special.

We’d also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to McClain Mell for capturing the joy of the event through her photography and for sharing her talents with us for another year of fun family photos in the orchard.

Your support makes every harvest even sweeter!

We’re excited to share that Swanson’s Mountain View Orchard is a partner site for a new research project led by Montana State University Ph.D. student Brett Griesbaum. The project is exploring how to improve irrigation practices using detailed data from the orchard itself.

Brett’s research looks at how natural differences across the orchard, like soil texture, elevation, and moisture levels, can affect how apple trees grow and how much water they need. By using soil sensors, remote sensing, and data mapping, the goal is to see if more precise, zone-based irrigation can help farmers use water more efficiently, lower disease risk, and improve crop quality.

Swanson’s layout is well suited to this kind of research. Our rows run east to west, while our irrigation system includes valve zones running north to south, making it easy to apply different watering strategies in specific areas.

This project is all about helping growers make informed decisions using tools and technology that respond to what’s actually happening in the field.

We’ll be sharing updates throughout the season as the project moves forward. Stay tuned!

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We’re looking for recipes to include in our 2025 season newsletters! Submit yours here: Apple Recipe Submission

Swanson’s is proud to be featured in the 2025 Local Food Guide by Abundant Montana! Check out our listing on page 48 and explore the guide to discover other local farms, producers, and food businesses across the state.

We’re honored to be featured in the Bitterroot Star! The article highlights our vision for the future of Swanson’s Mountain View Orchard, including plans for expanded community events, new product offerings, and continued focus on sustainable farming. Read the full article here.

Kendall Mouw shared a crop update and upcoming events with KPAX TV in Missoula County. Watch below, or click here!

Manager Kendall Mouw met with the American Dream TV’s production team to share our orchard’s history and what’s happening today! Skip to 6:20 (6 minutes and 2o seconds) to watch Swanson’s segment.