This time of year, many will buy apples from the grocery store or a local orchard to bake fall treats. John Trout simply ventures down the rows of trees filled with autumn’s bounty in his very own orchard.

Trout is an Environmental Process supervisor at the Rockport Plant in southern Indiana. He’s been with the company for 30 years and has been growing apples for just as long.

“I studied botany in college and always enjoyed growing things, so I thought, why can’t I grow apples just like the big orchards,” Trout said. “After planting a few apple trees I bought from the local hardware store, I started researching how to maintain them.”

There are 250 apple trees on Trout’s orchard, and he has room to add another 150 trees. Trout has six varieties growing in picturesque rows: Golden Delicious, Crimson Crisp, Goldrush, Winecrisp, Gala and Fuji.

“I also enjoy growing American persimmon and northern pecan varieties around the orchard. I’m also evaluating an apple variety named Pixie Crunch and I believe it will be a part of my expansion,” Trout said. “I don’t plant 75 apple trees without knowing how it will grow on my soil, so I like to try them first. Unless I’m assessing a new apple variety, I don’t buy ready to plant trees. I buy dwarf rootstock and then graft them over to the variety that I want to grow from there. It saves loads of money but adds a couple of years to the growing process.”

Trout doesn’t offer U-pick, right now. He does provide his fresh, locally grown apples at farmer’s markets and festivals throughout September. He also visits other orchards to check out the types of apples and their set up for future ideas.

“My dream would be to someday own more acres and do the whole apple orchard business in a big way with tractor rides, U-pick, cider and donuts,” Trout said. “Any given Saturday morning I walk through the orchard with a cup of coffee. I still can’t get enough of the view down the rows of trees.”

So, what is Trout’s favorite apple to bite into? Golden Delicious.