5 Colleges With Apple Orchards on Campus

For students who love the outdoors, sustainability, or agriculture, a college orchard can be much more than a pretty backdrop. Orchards serve as living classrooms, research hubs, and community resources where students study biodiversity, sustainable farming, and food systems in real time. They also connect campuses to their local regions, often donating produce to food banks or selling fruit to support community initiatives.


These five U.S. colleges highlight how something as simple as an apple orchard can enrich education and campus life:



University of Colorado Boulder

CU Boulder recently planted its own apple orchard, designed as both a research site and a living classroom. The orchard supports biodiversity, sustainability education, and community engagement through food donations.


Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)

Cornell Orchards has been part of the campus for more than 100 years. With 22 acres of fruit crops, it is central to Cornell’s agricultural research and teaching, offering students hands-on learning in apple science and production.


Vermont State University

This campus orchard is both an educational and community resource. Students gain direct training in agriculture and horticulture, while the harvest supports local food banks and community events.


University of Idaho

The Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center houses a certified organic heirloom fruit orchard with 68 apple varieties. It serves as a teaching and outreach hub, connecting students and the public to the science and heritage of apple growing.



University of Massachusetts Amherst

UMass Amherst operates Cold Spring Orchard, a working farm and research facility with more than 100 apple varieties. It supports sustainable pest management studies, offers fruit sales to the public, and provides a hands-on learning environment for students.