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ROSS ORCHARDS
Our Story
Starting in 1907, William E. Ross planted and promoted apple orchards while practicing law in the Clark’s Fork Valley. William's son, Jack Ross, picked apples at local orchards and sold them to passengers on trains traveling through Fromberg. In 1945, Jack returned to the Clark’s Fork Valley where he practiced law from 1945 to 1973. In 1952, he planted a one-acre orchard, which included Wealthies, MacIntosh, and Delicious apples. In 1982, Jack’s son, John Walker Ross and his family, continued the Ross Orchard tradition of practicing law and planting a 300-tree “Ross Orchard.”
 ~1909: William E. Ross picking apples. Our fruit basket of Montana logo originated with William in ~1910 |  ~1950: Jack Ross stands in front of the orchard he planted in the early 1950s |  ~1930: Jack Ross, the second generation lawyer and orchardist |
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 1975: Min Ross stands under one of the trees her late husband Jack Ross planted 25 years ago. The old cider press belonged to Albert Bomar of Fromberg and saw yeoman service in the Clarks Fork Valley. |  1983: John Ross smiling and pressing apples for cider |  1983: Laura Mitchell Ross picking apples |
 2006: Hillary and John selling apples |  1991: Hillary sampling freshly picked apples |  2000: Hillary and Elizabeth selling apples at the Yellowstone Valley Farmer's Market, which their parents helped start in the '80s |
 2014: John picking apples |  2013: Sam Hoffman and John make cider together for the first time with a bladder press |  2013: Lindsey Hoffman and Elizabeth helping make cider in Red Lodge |
 2014: John with some of the first bottled cider with Red Lodge Ales |  2016: John with apples in front of the orchard shed |  2018: John and Hillary pressing apples at the Last Chance Cider Mill in Billings |
 2018: Hillary and Elizabeth holding a sign that their great-aunt made in the 1970s to sell apples along the highway |
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