Deardorff Orchards

Our take

The short version

Deardorff Orchards sits on the same property as Parley Lake Winery in Waconia, sharing a classic white apple barn across roughly 130 acres, per the research notes. It grows an unusually long list of twelve named apple varieties and is reported to charge no admission fee, with complimentary tractor rides included. The important caveat is sourcing: the orchard’s own website returned a 404 error during this research, so everything here — hours, pricing, even the reported opening date — comes from aggregator and tourism sources rather than a primary confirmation.

Twelve varieties, an unusually detailed list

The record names Zestar, SweeTango, Red Baron, McIntosh, Sweet Sixteen, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Haralson, Honeygold, Regent, Connell’s Red, and Fireside. That’s one of the longest specific variety lists in this research batch, spanning from early September ripeners (Zestar, SweeTango) through varieties that typically hold into October (Honeygold, Fireside, Regent). If breadth of variety matters most to your visit, this is a strong candidate on paper — though because it comes from secondary sources rather than the orchard’s own current listings, it’s worth confirming which of the twelve are actually available on the day you plan to visit.

Free admission, reported not confirmed

Multiple aggregator and tourism sources describe free admission and free family activities, plus complimentary tractor rides for anyone picking their own fruit. That’s a meaningfully attractive pricing model if accurate — no gate fee at all, just the cost of the apples you pick. Because the orchard’s own site wasn’t reachable to verify this directly, treat it as a strong secondhand report rather than a guarantee, and be prepared to double-check on arrival.

A winery on the same grounds

Per the research notes, Deardorff Orchards and Parley Lake Winery occupy the same roughly 130-acre property, sharing a classic white apple barn. That pairing suggests a visit here could naturally extend into a wine tasting for the adults in your group, though the record doesn’t specify whether the winery requires a separate reservation or fee — that’s worth asking about directly if it’s part of your plan.

The website gap is the real story here

This record leans more heavily on secondary sourcing than most others in this Minnesota batch. deardorfforchards.com returned a 404 error during this research, meaning the orchard either doesn’t currently maintain a working standalone site or it was temporarily down. The neighboring Parley Lake Winery site, which does work, didn’t mention the orchard by name. That combination means there’s no current, primary-source confirmation of hours, exact pricing, or a dated 2026 season — a reported Labor Day Weekend 2026 opening surfaced in research but wasn’t independently verified.

What to do about the gaps

Given the website issue, the phone number on file — 612-810-0606, described as the manager’s line — is your best bet for current information. Confirming the season’s actual start date, whether the free-admission and tractor-ride offerings still apply for 2026, and which of the twelve varieties are currently ready would all be reasonable questions before making the drive to Waconia.

Getting there

Deardorff Orchards is at 8282 Parley Lake Road in Waconia, Carver County, in the West Metro. Coordinates on file are an approximate area estimate for Parley Lake Road, not individually geocoded.

Bottom line

On paper, Deardorff offers a genuinely appealing combination — free admission, complimentary tractor rides, twelve named varieties, and an on-site winery. But because the orchard’s own website wasn’t reachable during this research, none of that is confirmed from a primary source, and a phone call before visiting is more important here than for most other orchards in this batch.