Ecker's Apple Farm, along the Great River Road in Trempealeau

Ecker’s Apple Farm has a story to tell – and delicious apples to pick, eat, and enjoy along with craft beers, treats, and even live music at times – all in a gorgeous setting right along the Great River Road in Trempealeau County. Part of this setting includes great views of what was the previous north bank of the Mississippi River (a long, long time ago.) While its title focuses on the fall apple trees, apple picking, the pies and more, Ecker’s offers a variety of products and activities throughout the year. They include an operational beehive and the subsequent wild, local honey you can buy; morel mushrooms in the spring; blueberries in summer, and peaches in the fall. The whole kit ‘n kaboodle can be enjoyed from the Honeycrisp Express, a John Deere train you can ride on the farm grounds.

September through November, Ecker’s Bake Shop offers hand-dipped caramel apples that can be plain, or covered with nuts, M&Ms, or even Reese’s Pieces. They bake up around 500 apple pies weekly – not only traditional apple pie, but Ecker’s specialty Caramel Apple Pies. They also make apple turnover pastries and are working on adding a fudge shop.

A family farm since 1945, the generational progression at Ecker’s means it’s now all female-owned, as daughters Sara, Mary, and Jessica eventually took the reins. Jessica’s husband Simon, who hails from Melbourne, Australia originally (part of that well-worn “South Coast of Australia to Wisconsin’s Driftless Area” path), is part of the crew and poured us beers at their Hog’s Back Brew Farm, open on select weekends during the season with around a dozen beer and cider selections that change on the regular. Their plan is to eventually develop a craft brewery and cidery (hey, they have all these apples!)

Apples ready at Ecker's Apple Farm along the Great River Road/Highway 35/Highway 54, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin — *Apples ready to be eaten fresh, baked into pies, made into sauce, covered with caramel and nuts – who knows what?? All at Ecker’s Apple Farm.*

You’ll find Ecker’s along the Great River Road, which is both Highway 35 and Highway 54 at this point, in Trempealeau County just north of Trempealeau and west of Centerville’s junction with Highway 93.