Remembering the Jebavy-Sorenson Orchards and My Family Connection to It

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At the intersection of U.S. 31 and M-22 in Manistee County today, you will find the Little River Casino Resort. But before the casino and modern development, that stretch of land was home to a thriving agricultural enterprise that was important to  the areas fruit farming industry. This was the Jebavy-Sorenson Orchard Company, once one of the largest orchards in northern Lower Michigan.

The story of the orchard began in 1940 when two local businessmen, Jebavy and Sorenson, purchased the Manistee Orchard Company from the Graham family. At the time, the orchard covered 550 acres and was already known for its fertile location and productive yields. After the purchase, the name was changed to the Jebavy-Sorenson Orchard Company. With new leadership and vision, the orchard began to expand and modernize.

The mid-20th century was a significant period for agriculture in Michigan. The state had become one of the nation's leaders in fruit production, especially apples and cherries. Technological advancements, improved cold storage methods, and the rise of large-scale processing allowed orchards like Jebavy-Sorenson to thrive. These developments helped meet the growing demand for both fresh and processed fruit throughout the country.

By 1979, just before it was sold, the Jebavy-Sorenson Orchard had grown to 900 acres. Its facilities were impressive for the time. The orchard featured cold storage space for 150,000 bushels of apples and freezer capacity for 350 million pounds of fruit. A processing plant on site handled sweet and sour cherries, blueberries, applesauce, and both frozen and sliced apples. Gross sales exceeded $4 million annually, making the orchard not just a local business but a regional powerhouse in fruit production.

The photograph of the Walter and Lola (Fredricks) Brown home on Jebavy Road at the top of a hill overlooking the acres of fruit trees, date unknown.

Courtesy of Bertha Brown Asiala family photograph collection.

This orchard is a part of my family’s story. My uncle, Walter Brown, managed the operation for many years. He lived on Jebavy Road in a house that overlooked the orchard, giving him a front-row seat to the changing seasons, the labor of harvest time, and the steady growth of the business. 

Uncle Walter and Aunt Lola lived in the house within the orchard for many years, remaining there until his passing in 1977. Their son, Walter Jr., known as “Freddy,” also worked at the orchard for a time.

Uncle Walter in 1963 with some of his nieces and nephews on the Fredricks side. Can you spot me? I was 5 at the time. Photograph courtesy of my cousin, Katherine Fredricks, from her family collection.

My Uncle Walter really was the heart of the orchard. As manager, he kept things running day in and day out. He planned the growing seasons, watched over the trees, and knew just when it was time to harvest. He worked closely with the crew, many of whom returned year after year, and everyone respected him. I remember him as someone who didn’t say a lot, but he always knew what needed to be done and he did it without fuss.

Farming in the 1950s and 1960s was changing fast, and Uncle Walter kept up with it. He oversaw everything from the storage buildings to the processing of apples and cherries. He kept detailed notes, scheduled the spraying and pruning, and made sure the equipment was ready to go. I still picture him walking the orchard road in the early morning, checking on the trees with a quiet focus. It was hard work, but he loved it and it showed in how well the orchard thrived under his care.

Today, the land where the Jebavy-Sorenson Orchard once thrived lies quiet and dormant. Now owned by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the orchard is no longer accessible to the public, with the road gated off. What remains is a bittersweet sight with rows of trees left untended, many of them lifeless, or cleared land, a remembrance of what was once a vibrant and bustling agricultural hub.

Although the orchard no longer exists in its former condition, the Jebavy-Sorenson Orchard Company is remembered through the stories of those who worked there and the many who visited. Its roots run deep in Manistee County, Michigan. For those of us with family ties to the orchard, it holds a special place in our hearts,  including me. I still remember bringing home bushels of apples and lugs of cherries from our visits.

AI Disclosures

This blog post used the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools at CPT4o. While the content reflects my ideas, writing, and research. the AI was used for grammar and spelling editing.

ChatGPT4o suggested blog post titles based upon my writing and ideas and I selected the one with edits to enhance the blog experience.

The image used on this blog post was created by AI software, DALL-E at ChatGPT4o. The visual was designed using prompts written by the author. The visual was designed to complement the content and enhance the reader's experience.