For visitors, those moments come through family time and shared experiences at the flower-filled farm, complete with fruit – like apples and berries – and games for kids and moments to remember.
It’s also true for the family that runs the farm. The Gradinariu family, immigrants from the eastern European country of Romania, purchased the farm in 2013. It was the dream of the family’s patriarch that he become a farmer – and he did.
“That was his dream ever since he was a kid,” says Ana Gradinariu, whose family owns the farm. “So coming to Missouri, he was able to fulfill that dream.”
With the help of the Plaster family, who previously owned the orchard, and agricultural experience from raising turkeys, the Gradinarius opened the orchard in 2013.
The 5,000-tree orchard now has 13 apple varieties, 15 types of peaches, four varieties of blueberries, as well as Natchez blackberries, and tomatoes. Some of those can be picked and purchased by visitors.
“Mr. Plaster kind of showed us step-by-step how trees grow and the process of planting and how to prune them, and kind of the production side on that,” Gradinariu says. “And then on the business side, we just learn off our own experience over the years, kind of what to do and what not to do.
“My parents — they love learning, and I guess we're the same way. We don't like to take no for an answer. We love to learn and keep growing.”
The farm has also expanded to include berries and a bakery — the latter came after Aurora, one of the Gradinariu daughters, went to Ozarks Tech and earned a culinary degree.
Today, Gardener’s Orchard is a destination for family fun, particularly in fall.
A ticket to the farm allows entry – other food and activities cost extra if one wants to partake – but many of the kids’ games and activities are included with the ticket price. That includes things like the jump pad, mega slide, orchard express, tricycle track, grain hoop, bubble station, photo booths, the Piggly Wiggly — a kids game with pretend pigs — and more.
“We’re very family-oriented,” Gradinariu says. “We just want to make sure that everyone coming out is in a safe environment. Know that, you know, in this evil world, they can actually come here and relax and not have to worry about anything. That they can take the afternoon off and come enjoy their time at Gardener's and create good memories and in a safe, clean environment.”
There are fields to see and photograph: Ones filled with zinnias, sunflowers, and pumpkins. The latter is the focus in October, when the farm shifts from its Apple Cider Festival to its Pumpkin Festival. Tasty treats are also available to purchase — including pizza and burgers — and apple cider slushes and cider donuts. That apple cider, too, is made on the farm.
The bakery currently offers homemade breads, pastries, pies, donuts, and other baked goods made from scratch every week. Folks can come by the orchard and bakery to buy items even if they don’t participate in activities at the farm.
As families make memories throughout the farm about 17 miles north of Springfield, one person isn’t present to see those moments: Cornelius Gradinariu, the family patriarch and farm founder, who passed away in in 2021.
His death led the family to a watershed moment.
“Myself (and a few of) my siblings came together and we're like, ‘We're either going to make this thing work or we're just going to sell it,’” Gradinariu recounts. “And here we are, four years in, starting our fourth fall season here, and it's been doing really good. It's by the grace of God we're here.”
And, in an amazing way, they live up to their name:
“We were like, ‘What can we name our orchard? We just translated our last name,” says Gradinariu, “and it just happened to be ‘gardener.’ It was really cool.”
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