Photo by via Marquette Sigma Phi Epsilon

Hayrides are just one of several fall-themed festivities available at Apple Holler, located in Sturtevant, Wisconsin.

Forty minutes south of Marquette’s campus lies a Midwestern gem: Apple Holler, a family farm featuring an orchard, restaurant and country store in Sturtevant, Wisconsin.

Apple Holler provides activities for all ages during all seasons. Summertime at the farm includes a strawberry festival, winter offers sleigh rides and spring has Easter and Mother’s Day buffets as well as egg hunts. In the fall, opportunities for apple picking, pumpkin patch visits, hayrides, bonfires and enjoying seasonal treats have special appeal to Marquette sororities seeking to participate in seasonal, social bonding activities.

Sigma Kappa, Pi Beta Phi and Alpha Phi plan annual trips to Apple Holler to take photos, experience fall activities and connect with sisters.

Maggie Stillman, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, visited Apple Holler Sept. 29 with her sorority Sigma Kappa. It was Stillman’s first time experiencing anything like it.

“It was so cute,” Stillman said, “I’m from Massachusetts, and where I’m from it’s more of like a coastal vibe and we don’t have the country vibe like Wisconsin has.”

During the sorority’s day at Apple Holler, Sigma Kappa took a hayride, had a bonfire and visited the country store selling homemade desserts such as caramel apples and pies.

Lauren Goetz, a junior in the College of Communication and member of Sigma Kappa, was in charge of planning Sigma Kappa’s excursion.

“For me, (the highlight) was seeing everyone have a really good time because it was my event that I planned. I enjoyed seeing the older members connect with the new members and sharing their crazy stories,” Goetz said.

Sigma Kappa and Pi Beta Phi had excursions to the family farm on the same day.

Maggie Mayer, a sophomore in the College of Nursing and member of Pi Beta Phi, said she enjoyed the excursion because of the chance to bond with her sisters and enjoy a day packed with activities.

“We picked apples, we watched pig races and we saw some goats,” Mayer said. “It was great. It was a really fun time — very good bonding.”

Jenna Hilton, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences and member of Pi Beta Phi, said she adored the atmosphere at Apple Holler.

“Apple Holler was super fun. … It was a really cute venue,” she said. “They had goats there which were awesome, and lots of live animals. It was a super cute place.”

Alpha Phi members had a similar experience when they visited the family farm. A highly-anticipated annual event, Alpha Phi’s visit to Apple Holler included picking apples, enjoying hot apple cider and donuts and taking a hayride to a campsite for a bonfire and s’mores, said Megan Peterson, an Alpha Phi member and sophomore in the College of Health Sciences.

In sororities, many events are more formal and required. The Apple Holler excursion allowed sisters to bond in a more casual social environment, Stillman said.