The History of Our Orchard
The current farm market is on the land that my great-grandfather, Amos Marker, bought back on July 11, 1908. The stone house on the farm dates back to 1811 and is known as "Paxton." Currently, the fourth and fifth generations are farming this land. My grandfather, John D. Marker, started planting apple orchards in the 1930's and we continue to do so today. My father, J. Ralph Marker, expanded the orchards and added peaches in the late 1940's and early 1950's. He passed away in 1953, and my mother, Ada Marker, and aunt, Fay Marker-Miller, continued the management of the farms and orchards. That is how the name Marker-Miller Orchards originated.
My aunt was interested in diversifying and added several varieties of apples and other fruits (plums, pears and apricots). She also started selling some of the fruit to retail customers from our packing shed. I came back from college in 1969 and started working on the farm and orchard. In 1988, my wife Carolyn and I have become the owners and have continued to diversify the variety of apples, peaches and plums we offer.
During that time, we also started growing vegetables which has expanded over the years. Our retail sales increased enough that in 2001, we decided to build a farm market and stop selling out of our packing shed. This decision was for our benefit as well as our customers. It allowed the customers to stay out of the busy flow of "farm traffic" and gave us the opportunity to offer and display new items. We installed a kitchen in the market, so we could offer fresh baked pies and apple cider donuts. Then in the summer of 2004, we opened the season with an addition that was double the size of the existing market, allowing us to have a larger kitchen, more retail area and an ice cream/fudge room.
Our daughter, Heather, returned to manage the farm market in 2009. Over the past 10 years our grandchildren have also helped in the farm market and vegetable gardens during their summer breaks and on weekends.
Marker-Miller Orchards has been blessed to be part on the Winchester/Frederick County community for many years and our on-site farm market has provided fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods for over 25 years. We have lived by the mission of offering not only a farm experience but a family experience with our pick your own options and large playground area.
In 2025 we passed this mission on to our dear friends at Stonewall Farm Markets. They are now leasing the farm market, part of the orchards and doing business as Marker-Miller Orchards.
We have worked along side them this past year as Carolyn and I semi-retire. It has been interesting to share and learn with them this year as the transition has taken place and we are excited and appreciative that they have the passion to continue to support agriculture here on our farm but also here in the community.
We hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
John and Carolyn Marker
