Union Orchard

I stopped in here on a Saturday afternoon in July. Mostly, I was really disappointed by what I saw.
What I was EXPECTING:
Various all natural products made from Nebraska-​grown apples to include cider, pies, jellies, apple butter, and so forth. I also figured they would feature several products from various other Nebraska-​based companies like jams, jellies, sauces, honey, jerky, salsas, and so forth.
What they ACTUALLY had:
Much of the product they sell is from Ohio and is the stuff manufactured to sell to tourists in Ohio Amish country. There may even be more Ohio products in this store than Nebraska products, but I didn’t take the time to count.
Their cider contains the following: Water, sugar, Extractive matters of Apple, Fruit Juices, Essential Oils & Certified Color, and Potassium Sorbate. That’s several more ingredients than it should contain. The ingredients list on apple cider being sold at an orchard should be as follows: Apples.
They also sell frozen apples pies. So, I have this vision of kind elderly women sitting around a commercial kitchen lovingly making applies pies and then freezing instead of baking them, so that I can take one home and bake it myself and enjoy the homemade goodness. So, I check the ingredients on the frozen apple pies and discover they contain dextrose and corn syrup amongst other ingredients. I’ve made apple pie from scratch before using 3 or 4 different recipes. While quantity varies they’re all basically the same: Apples, butter, sugar (white, brown, or both), cinnamon, and, if the apples are not tart enough, some lemon juice. Even if you toss in the ingredients for pie crust (butter, lard/​shortening, flour, salt, and water) it’s very simple. So, why in the heck is there dextrose and corn syrup in the pies?
Several products contain the «Made especially for Union Orchard» statement, but not indicator of who made them for Union Orchard. That’s something I’d really like to know before I purchase and consume food.
I attend various fairs and festivals around Nebraska and there’s a lot of people selling all sorts of food stuffs made in Nebraska using Nebraska ingredients when possible. Why is so little of that for sale here? Heck many of those businesses have stalls at the Apple Jack Festival every year, but you cannot buy their product in an orchard store just up the road? Instead I can buy a bunch of stuff from Ohio and elsewhere? Not cool.
I realize that Nebraska-​grown apples are not always in season and so for selling fresh apples and products that cannot be canned, jarred, or frozen that they may have to source apples elsewhere during certain points of the year. However, that’s no excuse for selling fake cider and similarly disappointing products.
This place is geared to make money off of visitors caught up in the apple craze every September during Nebraska City’s Apple Jack festival. They come in here and see some bags of fresh grown Nebraska apples for sale and then assume everything in the store is that wholesome and local. They then proceed to spend gobs of money on products they could probably get cheaper off of the shelf at any grocery store.
I know there was an ownership change in 2011, but this place has been hanging around since the 1960s. So, perhaps it hasn’t always been this way.

Great place, fresh products! It is an easy location to get in and out of and seems to always have something going on.

The apple cidar donuts are delicious! So are the apple cidar slushies. My husband had a jalapeño and cheese stuffed pretzel and said there was not much inside and that it was pretty much a normal pretzel. The wagon ride up to the pumpkin patch is a nice ride but the pumpkin patch itself was terrible /​pitiful there was an open field with random pumpkins and were half broken that they charge $ 7 a pumpkin, not worth it… It was some place you could spend maybe 30 min and then be done. Not much for kids to do either.

Perfect balance of healthy food and junk food. Fresh apples vs. caramel topped apple pie. Apple vs. Apple Cider Donuts. Fruit vs. Fruit Butters. Apple Juice vs. Apple Cider. Apples vs. all kinds of apple jams, apple preserves, and apple anything. I happened to be there during the annual Apple Jack Festival in this local area. The apples were in season and these apples which were off the tree, WITHOUT the wax or preservatives you often have to deal with when you buy apples from your grocery stores.
Their apple pies are to die for. Apple cider donuts are something else! The tastes are exquisite and experientially indescribable. They also had selections of wines that were quite tasty.
Prices are very reasonable and staff members are helpful and ready to help.
I hope they form a online marketing department for shipping their products out of state.

Used the Groupon and took my mother. We had a great time and loved all if the food and fun at the orchard. The donuts are amazing, as is the cherry slushie. Huge selection of canned and bottled foods. The pumpkin butter is great would highly recommend. The pumpkin patch can be a bit mucky, but hey you are there to have fun so just go for it.

I visited during the winter and was surprised that they still sold fresh apples. The staff was nice and helpful. They have an impressive selection of canned products Which make nice gifts.
The concession stand is not open in the winter

This review is for the caramel apple pie.
Food: Whoever came up with this recipe is a genius. The pie we purchased from Union Orchard oozed with caramel and something that tasted like cream cheese mixed in with the apples (
). It was quite possibly the best apple pie I have ever had. We stopped by here after visiting the Arbor Day Farm and thought our friend Vivian L. could use some pie. She told us she was on a diet, but ended up eating a sizable wedge. No one can resist the power of the pie!
Atmosphere: There is another orchard down the road which is much bigger and closes earlier. We randomly decided to come here because we didn’t make it to our original destination on time. It was pretty empty when we stopped by. They have anything and everything an apple lover would want stocked in a huge building accessible from a gravel driveway.
Service: The family working here was very welcoming. They noticed that our rental car had Minnesota plates and asked us if we were from that area.
Synopsis: Gah. Really want another pie :’(.

This is the less busy cousin to Arbor Day Farms or Kimmel Orchard during the Applejack Festival.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still out of control busy during that weekend, but this is a nice spot to stock up on apple doughnuts and other needs on your way out of town — or if you can’t wait to get into town.