The History of Gardeners Orchard

Located in the town of Brighton, Gardener’s Orchard (4455 W. Farm Rd 2, Brighton, MO) is a pick-your-own-produce farm that focuses on creating a little escape from life. Gardener’s was founded on the principle of a steadfast commitment to the community and pursuing a long-held dream.

The story of the Gradinariu family coming to own the orchard begins long before they set foot there. Verginia Gradinariu and her husband immigrated to the United States from Romania in 1990 and stumbled upon the orchard. Now Verginia and her adult children Ana and Andre operate the orchard together. In addition to Ana and Andre, the other Gradinariu siblings help with the day-to-day operations of the orchard. Their sister, Aurora, works as the food director and as a pastry chef.

“The original orchard was planted by Cliff and Sue Plaster back in 1980,” Andre says. “In the fall of 2013, we purchased the farm from Cliff. In 2014 we were just selling fruit in the fall and peaches, then we realized there weren’t many fruit farms or orchards in the area, so we thought we could capitalize on planting more.”

When their father passed away in 2021, the Gradinariu siblings and Verginia were trying to find ways to keep the farm going for years to come. They wanted to honor the memory of their father and wanted to keep the dream their parents brought with them to America alive. 

After talking with the other farmers in the area, the family put their heads together and brainstormed different ways for customers to become more involved in the orchard during their visits. “We added fun activities for the kids and different food items,” Ana says.

Since opening the you-pick orchard, the family has created jump pads, a mega slide, apple blasters, a train for kids called “The Orchard Express” and a quirky ride called The Piggly Wiggly. The family also decided to add a now extremely popular bakery along with the lively activities on the property. The bakery is run by Aurora, and she produces yummy treats year-round for Gardener’s. With seasonal goodies, like strawberry lava cups in the spring and apple cider doughnuts in the fall, the bakery is popular among visitors, and her baking Instagram page alone has gained over 300,000 followers. “She spoils us with treats,” Ana says.

With fall upon us, the Gradinariu family is already in the thick of their autumn festive endeavors for the farm. Throughout the month of October the farm hosts its annual Pumpkin Festival on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from noon–7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online.

“We plant pumpkins at the end of June, so all the pumpkins are ready to harvest in October,” Ana says. “Waiting for them to grow and seeing them is satisfying.”

Looking to the future, the family reflects on what they hope to see for Gardener’s Orchard and what it means to them that the farm has come this far.

“I would love to see the next generation take over the farm,” Ana says. “I want to leave a legacy and create passion for the younger generations.”