Passion Grows an Orchard SunBerry Orchard & Pastures Opens for You-Pick Season

Submitted by SunBerry Orchard & Pastures

As a boy, Sergiy Bazylyuk grew up on his parents’ farm in Ukraine, grafting and growing apples for his family. Today, his passion fuels 40,000 mature trees on three vast orchards for communities throughout the Chicago area.

“SunBerry Orchard & Pastures is the realization of a dream rooted deeply in the rich soil of the Ukrainian countryside,” he says. “Here, the childhood memories of my father, tending to animals and living in sync with the land, have blossomed into a vibrant testament to the rhythms of farm life.”

Encompassing three Illinois locations—two in Woodstock and one in Mundelein—SunBerry is at once rich orchards, pastures for field-raising animals, serene fruit and vegetable farms, petting zoos, a Ukrainian market and even a food truck.

SunBerry Fields at 3712 Greenwood Road in Woodstock is where vegetables grow and harvesting happens. SunBerry Orchard’s Market at 28111 N. Fremont Center Road in Mundelein is a farmers market with fresh fruit and vegetables, a cidery and bakery, along with an orchard and farm featuring Mundelein’s only family of peacocks!

Combined, SunBerry Orchard grows 100 varieties of apples, as well as trees producing cherries, plums and peaches. In the market are organically grown fruits and vegetables; pasture-raised beef, poultry and pork; chicken eggs; sausages and smoked meats; baked goods; fresh ciders; and refrigerated foods – all ethically, sustainably and locally produced.

Bazylyuk planted the first seeds of what would become a diverse orchard in Mundelein in 2018, where 4,000 mature trees now produce unique varieties for you-pick events, community activities, county fairs and select farmers markets. Two years later, his growing business expanded to include the Woodstock pastures, with 12,000 adult apple trees.

Orchards feature antique varieties including Gibson Golden Delicious and Ashmead’s Kernel, the hard-to-find Golden Russet and Arkansas Black and modern selections such as Ambrosia and Mutsu. Apples like Black Oxford and Royal Red Honeycrisp are ideal for snacking. Among dessert varieties, Autumn Gala and Crimson Topaz are perfect for pies and baked goods. And suitable for ciders, you’ll find Dabinett and Goldstrike, among others.

“We are a family of farmers with roots in Ukraine,” Bazylyuk says, “but we have been proudly serving the local communities of Chicago for years. We are dedicated to providing our customers with the freshest and most delicious organic produce, grown locally on our farms. We hope you’ll join us at our you-pick events this fall.”

SunBerry Orchard’s 3rd Annual “Apple Picking Among the Trees” runs through October 31, at 3712 Greenwood Road in Woodstock and at 28111 N. Fremont Center Road in Mundelein. Woodstock’s orchards are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Mundelein’s orchards are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. While there, stop by the farm-fresh market, also open on Tuesdays.

The orchards are closed during inclement weather. Minimum $10 purchase; other prices vary. Kids ages 2 and under enter free. Follow SunBerry on Facebook and Instagram for updates and information. For more information and to shop online, visit SunberryOrchardFarm.com.