MT's Gibbsville Orchard has been a fixture in the community for 81 years, and for the past 8, the Hottenroth family has been at the helm welcoming visitors to pick apples, shop local goods, and enjoy the outdoors.Machelle and T ony Hottenroth own the orchard and say their mission is rooted in family and community."Well most of all we're family orientated we want people to come here and enjoy their self as a family," Machelle Hottenroth said. About 90% of the items sold in the store are at least Wisconsin-made, and many come from even closer to home. Tony Hottenroth says the orchard is one reason Sheboygan has a lot to offer visitors both nearby and far away."Come on up and enjoy the outdoors and uh the beautiful scenery of Lake Michigan and Sheboygan and the park's along the way," Tony Hottenroth said.The orchard's fall season runs through the end of October, but the property stays open year-round. Plans are already in place to sell pre-cut Christmas trees and host events with Santa. WATCH BELOW: Fall is in full swing at MT's Gibbsville Orchard in Sheboygan county Celebrating fall at MT's Gibbsville OrchardFor those heading out to pick apples, Troy Hottenroth, Machelle and Tony's son, shared a few tips to make the most of the experience: Choose apples on the outside of the tree Read the signage to know what variety is on each tree Don't be afraid to try an apple before you pick itThe orchard labels its trees with colored ribbons to help visitors identify varieties, which rotate throughout the season. "We label the trees with different colored ribbons so you would know when you get here what variety we're picking, which changes through the season. So right now we have Cortland's and Macintosh, and we're just starting with Yellow Delicious. Otherwise we grow over 30 varieties," Troy Hottenroth said.The orchard's pies and cider are made with a mix of whatever apples are on hand nothing is sorted out which means no two batches taste exactly the same.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to discuss this story and keep up with whats happening in Sheboygan County? Join our new Facebook group to share stories, ask questions, and connect with neighbors.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip ...read more read less