Orchard News

The 2025 operating year was one for the record books in terms of overall crop volume and fruit quality. We harvested just over 500 total bins, approximately 410,000 pounds, with an average pack-out of over 85% to start the season. Pack-out refers to the percentage of Grade A Fancy fruit vs. the total volume harvested. The crop was large enough that we borrowed 35 additional bins beyond our inventory.

We’re proud of the crops we helped cultivate, and we are also counting our blessings that several major hail and windstorms throughout the summer, and a hard wind just before harvest, missed our farm entirely. As Charlie Swanson would tell us, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes.” Montana’s weather keeps us on our toes, and we are starting to see the real power of the storms in our region.

We attribute the quantity, quality, and size of the 2025 crop to a milder summer, late-season pruning, and consistent farming practices, with close attention paid to fruit progression and overall tree health.

In 2025, we introduced apple cider donuts and apple- and grass-fed beef to our customers, and were amazed by the community support we received. Incorporating value-added products into our business model ensures we have minimal waste while diversifying our operation in a way that sustains us for generations to come.

We’re excited to expand to more events in the summer and look forward to sharing our apple cider donuts and apple cider slushies before harvest. We are also excited to share that we have a waiting list started for our Spring 2027 beef program, as many of our customers for the 2025 and 2026 programs are repeat customers.

 We take pride in our ability to create high-quality products with the unique resources and landscape of our ranch in the Bitterroot Valley, while limiting waste across the farm.

Overall, Ryan and I are continuing to gain momentum and excitement watching our dreams progress into plans that, in turn, begin to thrive. Seeing what’s possible on this farm is a joy experienced by our whole family!

We’re now accepting sign-ups for our third 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 2027 — 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 as the project moves forward. Stay tuned!

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We’re looking for recipes to include in our 2026 season newsletters! Submit yours here: Apple Recipe Submission

Kendall Mouw shared news about the orchard’s bud progression and outlook for the 2026 season in an interview with NBC. You can watch the full video below and read more here.

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.