Jonamac Orchard planning for beer sales, new buildings

MALTA – Here’s something new to sip on: Jonamac Orchard is looking to add apple ale and local craft beers to its offerings.

In an amendment to their special-use permit to allow beer sales, the owners of the orchard at 19412 Shabbona Road in Malta are requesting to use their Cider House as a venue to host public and private events outside the fall season, and in the longer term, to build new structures on-site.

The proposed structures include an education center for school tours, a stage for bands, improved admissions buildings, a concession building, a picnic shelter, restrooms, an observation deck and a wraparound porch on the main store.

Before the DeKalb County Board can vote on the amendment, a public hearing on the request will take place May 4. The orchard’s agriculture-themed entertainment is allowed through a special-use permit because the district is zoned for agricultural use.

The orchard was started in 1974 and has expanded over the years to its 105-acre operation. It includes more than 10,000 apple trees featuring more than two dozen varieties of apples, according to the Jonamac Orchard website.

Entertainment features include a petting zoo, corn maze and barnyard play area. The orchard also features a country store and bakery.

Owner Kevin McArtor said the Cider House, which opened in September, was the orchard’s biggest recent project. The plan is to wait a few years to add the new structures. The owners did, however, include those plans in their proposal at the request of the DeKalb County Planning, Zoning and Building Department.

“These are all ideas we have talked about in the past to make things more convenient,” McArtor said.

McArtor said the orchard has been selling wine and hard cider for the past three seasons, but the goal is to have the licensing in place to sell locally brewed beers and
its own apple ale, which is considered a beer, in the upcoming fall
season. Hard liquor is not included in the request.

“We have no intentions of being a bar or tavern,” he said.

If the plans are approved, people will be able to request use of the Cider House tasting facility for events outside of the orchard’s normal August to November season.

McArtor said the number of events would be limited each year to be mindful of local traffic and other possible effects on neighbors.

An example of an event would be the 5K Hard Cider Run that the orchard is planning for June, McArtor said.

He said they are not looking to open the agriculture entertainment features outside the fall season.

The public hearing will be at 1 p.m. May 4 in the East Conference Room of the DeKalb County Administration Building, 110 E. Sycamore St. in Sycamore.