WHITETAIL VALLEY FARMS
Kutzli Family
Whitetail Valley Farms began in 2010, when the Kutzli family planted orchard trees on land they purchased near Viking Lake in Stanton. In 2012, they started making apple wine (Apfel Wein) from apple trees in their orchard, and they currently grow 60 different varieties of apples, many of which are not found in grocery stores. The farm also provides vital habitat for whitetail deer, bald eagles and other animals.
The Whitetail Valley Farms’ Choose Iowa grant project will expand and increase production to create a non-alcoholic apple beverage for adults. The farm will purchase several pieces of equipment that are required to pasteurize, filter and bottle the new beverage. This will add value to the farm’s apples and expand its market to reach a new group of customers.
In the first year, Whitetail Valley Farms plans to produce 300 liters of non-alcoholic beverages, which will increase the farm’s production/sales of its apple-based beverages, as well as its overall sales. The project will also help increase the farm’s customer base, which will ultimately expand the overall use and enjoyment of apple products from Whitetail Valley Farms. This project aligns with Whitetail Valley Farms’ mission to provide a small place that renews the spirit in the beauty of creation and to continue to produce Iowa products for its consumers.
Project Update as of May 26, 2023
From Eric Kutzli, co-owner and operator of Whitetail Valley Farms
“We are currently building our new winery facility and orchard retail space. We are doing site preparation right now. Concrete work will begin at the end of June. By mid-July we plan to be doing building construction and look forward to having the building enclosed by the end of September. Our equipment will be installed as soon as the building is enclosed, and we hope that we will begin our processing in the building this fall. Fresh cider processed through our Cidersure cold pasteurizer, filtration equipment and bottling equipment purchased with grant funds will be available this fall. Wine using the same filtration and packaging equipment is planned to be available by the spring of 2024. We will complete the finishing of the interior of our building over the winter of 2023/2024 and have our retail space open in spring 2024. So far, the apple crop looks good, and we hope it remains so through the summer. Lots of work going on around here!”
