By Matt de Simone
For over 100 years, Ikenberry Orchards has been a cornerstone of the farming community in Botetourt County. What began with horse-drawn wagons has evolved into a modern agricultural operation powered by air-conditioned tractors and computerized equipment. As the orchard celebrates its 120th year, Ben and Gwen Ikenberry—who manage the farm and country store, respectively—recently reflected on the past, present, and future of this deeply rooted family business.
Founded in 1904 by Benjamin R. Ikenberry, the orchard has grown through four generations of dedication and innovation. Today, Ben co-owns the operation with his mother, Loretta, continuing a legacy that began with his great-grandfather.
“Over the last 120 years, we’ve gone from horse-drawn wagons to air-conditioned tractors with computerized spray equipment,” Gwen said in a recent interview. “The types of fruit we grow have completely changed to meet customer demand, and the orchard itself has been relocated several times.”
Currently, the farm grows apples, peaches, tomatoes, and squash. In addition to fresh produce, Ikenberry’s offers a wide variety of locally sourced foods, including fresh vegetables, country-style butter, an assortment of cheeses, bacon, dried beans, sliced country ham, and Angus beef.
The market also caters to those with a sweet tooth, offering treats like chocolate candies, peanut squares, gummi bears, and more. Popular apple varieties such as Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Mutsu, and GoldRush are available as well.
Photo courtesy of Ikenberry Orchards
In its early years, the orchard expanded under the second generation, led by Minor Ikenberry, who added land in the Daleville area. His son, Jimmy Ikenberry, later purchased the business and continued to grow it, acquiring additional property along Haymakertown and Blacksburg roads to cultivate apples and peaches.
The fourth generation brought Mark and Ben Ikenberry on as co-owners. While Mark remains a part owner, he and his wife, Debbie, left the daily operations two decades ago to start their own landscaping business.
Since 2004, Gwen Ikenberry has managed the retail market, originally opened in 1983 and operated by the family. Under her leadership, the store has expanded its offerings and its role in the community.
“When I started managing the retail market 20 years ago, my goal was to offer not only our apples and peaches, but also products from other local farms,” Gwen said.
That vision led to long-standing partnerships with local producers such as Martin Farms, Layman Family Farms, RTS Beef, Beaver Dam Sunflower Farm, and Etzler Hams. Today, the market offers an array of goods, including soup and dip mixes, cheeseball flavors, olive oils, coffees, breads, cakes, cheddar wafers, candies, snack mixes, pies, and other nonperishable items.
“It was just kind of the perfect time,” Gwen said. “There was a lot of buzz about eating fresh and local. So, we added that to our advertising and started reaching out to farms like Martin’s for beef, Beaver Dam for sunflower seeds, and Etzler Hams, which had been around for years. I just built on that momentum and added more and more products.”
Driven by the motto “Eat Fresh, Eat Local”—a slogan Gwen adopted early on to set Ikenberry Orchards apart from big-box retailers—the country store has become a trusted destination for high-quality, locally grown food. She’s seen a shift in how people shop.
“People will always ‘shop with their eyes,’ but now more of them understand that local, fresh food is not only healthier—it just tastes better,” she said.
Photos by Matt de Simone
That growing awareness has helped sustain and evolve the orchard, though Gwen is quick to point out that farming is far from easy. “In my opinion, the biggest misconception people have is underestimating how much hard work, time, and money farming really takes.”
Despite the challenges, Gwen remains optimistic. “The Botetourt farming community is a strong, tight-knit family,” she said.
As Ikenberry Orchards celebrates 120 years, it stands as both a testament to one family’s resilience and innovation, and a symbol of what’s possible when tradition, community, and a commitment to quality come together.
For more information, call 540-992-6166 or visit the market at 2557 Roanoke Road in Daleville.
