Photography by Bo Carlock/Spacecrafting | Everly Farms Team: Esther and Frank Weigel, Sean Reeves, Jason Rye, Tom Grittner
Everly Farms
Everly Farms isn’t an either/or destination. It isn’t just an orchard or a vineyard or a restaurant. It’s a space for gathering. A place for connection and celebration. It’s a place for playing in the corn pit, hayrides and petting farm animals, and choosing a glass of wine made by Head Winemaker Sean Reeves and ordering a wood-fired pizza by Chef Tom Grittner. It’s picking apples, marking life milestones and creating a charming spot for private dining and events.
Frank and Esther Weigel bought the vaunted 43-acre Minnetonka Orchards from Lowell and Phyllis Schaper in 2021, but the pair says they quickly realized that what started as a seasonal stop had the potential to be a year-round destination for food, wine, fun — and a new take on old traditions.
So for almost four years, they’ve been rebuilding from the ground up, preserving the best of the original concept and reimagining the rest.
“Our team is a tight-knit group,” says Esther. “I think we created something where people can sit and relax and feel catered to. It’s very much a big family affair.”
For example, Reeves took a class on ciders and fermentation in 2018 at Minnetonka Orchards while he was still working his day job as an engineer. Three years later, he became a full-time employee at Everly Farms — a true full-circle moment — specializing in creating wines made from local grapes that he says “stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those of top wine regions nationwide.” The winery’s private dining room is the perfect venue for intimate gatherings, and serves as a hub for specialty classes and programming.
His wines are paired with the carefully sourced menu that Grittner developed for The Table restaurant (which can be rented out for events) and tasting room at Everly Farms, where dishes with locally sourced ingredients — some even grown onsite — are made from scratch and served family-style in an approachable, upscale way.
There are other reasons to gather at the farm, too, from private event and dining experiences — think birthdays, engagement parties, weddings, baby showers and corporate events — to seasonal offerings, like Christmas on the Farm, where families can take photos with Santa and the Grinch and sip hot chocolate.
“In the whole of Minnesota, no one else is doing what we’re doing right at Everly Farms,” says Grittner. “It’s a new and unique experience. It’s everything in one, really. And our goal is to make you feel like family.”
Christmas on the Farm kicks off November 28 and runs through the first three weekends in December. Learn more and book a reservation at everlyfarmsmn.com.
