BelleWood Acres owners John and Dorie Belisle have a lot on their plate, caring for 32 acres of trees that produce 21 varieties of apples and two kinds of pears. This busy working farm, café and distillery keeps them busy all year round, not just in springtime – and no matter the season, they keep the farm available for Whatcom County residents to enjoy.
BelleWood Café and Distillery
The BelleWood Cafe is open 12 months of the year, serving delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu is frequently updated and always features a breakfast special for under $6 and a monthly lunch special for $10. Most items incorporate the farm’s fresh apples and you can even purchase a pie from the bakery to bake fresh at home.
BelleWood Distilling is Washington’s first “Farm to Glass” distillery. BelleWood’s own award-winning spirits are hand crafted in small batches with produce grown on the farm. They also offer tours of the facility and tastings of their vodka, brandy, gin and liqueurs. Or, you can get hands-on and join the next bottling party. Here’s a fun fact: It takes 30 pounds of apples to make a 750 ml bottle of vodka!
Easter on the Farm
BelleWood Acres is planning a huge Easter celebration for all ages. From March 31 – April 1, 2018, the farm will host an extensive Easter brunch that includes gourmet home-baked pastries, a chef-attended omelet bar, salads, smoked salmon, ham and much more.
BelleWood has hosted an Easter celebration every year since 2013 and are happy to see families return year after year. “It’s fun to see the kids taking a photo with the Easter bunny and see how much they’ve grown since last year,” Dorie says.
Children will love the continuous Easter egg hunt, petting zoo, duck race, photos with the Easter bunny, the bunny trail hunt, apple bin train ride and more. Last year 1,400 kids participated and BelleWood is prepared for even more this time around. You can make your brunch reservation in advance and purchase tickets for the Egg Hunt Package on BelleWood’s upcoming events page.
3rd Annual Blossom Time Run
This 5K fun run, which takes place on Sunday, April 29, 2018, is special for two reasons: you get to run through the apple orchards while all 25,000 of BelleWood Acres’ apple trees are in bloom and proceeds from the event will benefit the bees. At this time of year, Dorie says, “The hardest workers on my farm are the honey bees.”
Dorie wants everyone to understand that honey bees are very gentle creatures, unlike the more aggressive wasps that come out during apple picking time in the fall. Blossom time runners have nothing to worry about — there have been no stings during the 5K race to date.
Proceeds from the event will be donated to bee research at Washington State University in Pullman. Bee populations are rapidly declining, due in large part to pesticide use. This is alarming considering about one third of our food is dependent on bee pollination, according to this article by the BBC. Honey bees are vital for many plants that cannot self-pollinate to make new fruits and vegetables every season. Apples rely on bees to pollinate each and every apple blossom in the spring in order for it to turn into a delicious apple in the fall.
John and Dorie believe in responsible farming at BelleWood Acres. They partner with Sustainable Connections, The Tenmile Creek Watershed Project, Whatcom Farm Friends, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association and the Puget Sound Food Network – all to ensure they maintain a healthy ecosystem while managing orchard pests.
Register for the 3rd Annual Run for the Bees as a single racer or at a discounted rate as a family. In addition to supporting bee research you’ll receive snacks, drinks and a BelleWood Acres water bottle. This event is extremely family friendly with music, food and fun for all.
Year-Round Events
Even if you can’t join the farm fun this spring, BelleWood is happy to help you plan your own private event. Their event planner is ready to organize your family reunion, wedding, corporate picnic or baby shower. With facilities to accommodate groups of 10 and larger, the staff at BelleWood will take care of the setup, catering and cleanup, leaving you free to enjoy your event.
BelleWood Acres
6140 Guide Meridian
Bellingham
Sponsored
