📰 Farm News & Orchard Updates
Approved building plans mark a major step toward permanent farm infrastructure.
📰 A major milestone behind the scenes
After months of planning and coordination, our farm building plans have officially been approved by the state. While this step doesn’t involve visible construction yet, it represents one of the most important milestones in moving our farm from vision to reality. More importantly, it allows us to begin coordinating the final steps that lead to building on the ground.
🌱 Farm Update:
State Approval of Building Plans
Earlier this season, we received confirmation that our farm building plans met all state requirements and have been fully approved. As a result, this clears a critical regulatory hurdle and allows us to move forward with local permitting and construction planning.
In addition, this approval confirms that the building design aligns with our long-term goals for the farm—both operationally and for future public use. The plans were developed in collaboration with Concepts in Architecture (CIA), whose team helped translate our needs as a working, public-facing farm into a functional, compliant design.
🏗️ What This Building Will Support on the Farm
This building is a foundational piece of infrastructure for Nuts About Dee’s Berries. It’s designed to support daily farm operations while also preparing the farm for public access, on-site sales, and future growth — all without losing sight of our U-pick-first focus.
Core Farm Operations
At its core, the building will support the practical needs of running a working farm, including:
Secure storage for farm equipment, tools, and seasonal supplies
Organized space for maintenance, staging, and day-to-day operations
Protection for equipment and materials throughout the year
These functions allow us to work more efficiently while keeping the farm safe, organized, and ready for each growing season.
Farm Store & On-Farm Sales
The building will also include space for a small farm store, giving us the ability to offer value-added products made from our own harvests.
Planned offerings may include:
Jams, jellies, and preserves
Fruit-based wines and specialty products
Farm merchandise and seasonal goods
This space helps connect visitors directly to the food grown here and supports the long-term sustainability of the farm.
Kitchen & Sampling Area
To enhance the visitor experience and support product development, the building layout allows for a small kitchen and preparation area.
This space will be used to:
Test and refine recipes using our fruit and nuts
Prepare samples for customers to try during U-pick seasons
Support tastings and educational farm events
This allows guests to experience our crops in more ways than just fresh harvest.
Processing, Storage & Shipping Flexibility
While Nuts About Dee’s Berries is primarily a U-pick farm, the building also provides flexibility for handling produce when needed.
Planned features include:
A designated processing area to clean and sanitize berries and nuts
Cooler and freezer storage to safely hold produce during peak harvest
A shipping and loading area for special orders or limited distribution
These spaces give us options without shifting away from our core U-pick model.
Public Access & Visitor Comfort
Because welcoming visitors is central to our farm vision, the building will also include:
Public restrooms for U-pick customers and event guests
Infrastructure that supports safe, comfortable public access
These features help make the farm more accessible for families, groups, and community gatherings.
Why This Matters
Together, these elements allow the farm to operate smoothly today while creating a flexible, resilient foundation for the future. This building supports everything from soil-first farming and harvest handling to customer education and community engagement — all under one thoughtfully planned roof.
🌰 Why This Matters for a Perennial Farm
On a perennial farm, infrastructure decisions must be made with decades—not seasons—in mind. Therefore, this building is not just about convenience; it’s about creating systems that support long-term planting, harvesting, and public access.
Because our crops mature over time, having permanent infrastructure in place ensures that future harvests, U-pick seasons, and events can operate smoothly. In turn, this supports the crops featured throughout our Harvest Calendar and helps prepare the farm for eventual public opening.
🔗 How This Fits Into Our Bigger Picture
This building approval is one part of a broader plan that includes soil preparation, long-term crop establishment, and phased infrastructure development. As outlined on our About Us page, our goal has always been to build a farm that balances production, education, and community access.
Meanwhile, approvals like this allow us to coordinate next steps—such as well planning and construction scheduling—without rushing decisions that affect the farm for decades to come.
Upcoming updates
With state approval complete, the next phase involves finalizing local permits and coordinating construction timelines. We are currently waiting on cement and site preparation scheduling, which will determine when physical work begins. As those pieces fall into place, we’ll continue sharing updates as milestones are reached.
Closing Line
This is one of the reasons we chose to build our farm with long-term systems in mind.
Fun Fact!
Chestnuts are closer to potatoes than almonds. Unlike most nuts, they’re high in carbohydrates and low in fat, which is why they’ve fed entire cultures—not just holiday tables.
More to Savor from the Orchard
- Education & Research
- Harvest & Farm Life
- Preserving & Storage
- Recipes
- Sustainable Farm Living
- Wellness & Herbal Remedies
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🍁 Visit Nuts About Dee’s Berries
https://nutsaboutdeesberries.com
N3591 Highway 104, Brodhead, Wisconsin
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