The current fall season will be the last for Hill Creek Farms. Its owner has decided to retire and sell the property to someone else.
After years in the community, Mullica Hill’s popular Hill Creek Farms will close following the end of this year’s apple-picking season in early November.
The news was first announced before the season began by owner Fred Sorbello – who reopened the facility in its current state in 2004 – and has declared his retirement from farming.
“Of all my business successes, nothing measured up to farming, and all the memories it brought back to me of growing up on a farm,” he said in a statement. “So, with the kids so busy in our food distribution business, the farm we started in 2004 has become so demanding during those nine to 10 weekends of the apple harvest, it’s time to call it a career.
“That, plus all the bureaucracy of running a fun farm market where everything you do is so damn regulated.”
The “bureaucracy” refers to a dispute between the farm and the county’s health department over increasing regulations and operational demands, a situation, Sorbello explained, that has made running the farm unsustainable for the family.
“To meet their demands puts this farm at a crossroads, either go big because of the added investment requirements and operate 10 to 12 months a year, or simply say it’s time to stop,” he added.
The farm will remain open Fridays and weekends from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. until early November; besides apples, Hill Creek will feature hayrides, sunflower picking and other activities. Customers who have frequented the farm over the years shared their memories and thoughts online.
“Been bringing my kids here since they were babies,” noted Rebecca Nicole, a Bellmawr resident. “Enjoy retirement, thank you for the memories. We will miss this place so much.”
“Happy Retirement to Hill Creek, this place has been a ritual every fall,” said Apurva Mathur, of Swedesboro. “My son is a big apple eater, so it’s been a Disney World for him. Thank you for so many great memories.”
Though Hill Creek Farms will close, the property will become MC Farms and will be owned by Mario Caltabiano, a third-generation farmer who has worked with Sorbello for many years and runs the facility this season. MC Farms will open at some point next year.
“MC Farms will be a lively, welcoming place where everyone can make memories,” Caltabiano said on the MC Farms website. “Get ready for fresh experiences and plenty of family fun. Visitors will discover hands-on activities, fresh-picked produce and ways to connect with the land and each other.
“With family fun at the heart of everything, MC Farms will offer new ways to celebrate the seasons and share quality time outdoors.”
