Vertically Integrated Orchard Operation

Symms Fruit Ranch began with just 8 acres of fruit trees planted on an 80-acre parcel in Sunny Slope. Remarkably, four of those original trees still stand today, continuing to bear fruit more than a century later. From those humble beginnings, the ranch has grown into a 5,000-acre operation producing some of the most flavorful cherries, peaches, plums, pears, nectarines and more, all cared for by five generations of family farmers. Today, Symms Fruit Ranch remains a cornerstone of Idaho agriculture, honoring its century-old legacy while continually adapting to new markets and opportunities.

A workday typically starts long before sunrise. By 2 a.m., orchard crews are suited up in miner-style lights and long sleeves, moving through rows of cherry trees while Jamie Mertz, a fourth-generation steward, coordinates the day’s harvest. During peak season, the team brings in 130,000 to 150,000 pounds of cherries each day—a grueling pace, but one guided by experience and a deep knowledge of the fruit.

Symms Fruit Ranch is fully vertically integrated, managing every step of the process—growing, packing, and distributing its own fruit. Their farm stands in Sunny Slope and on Fairview in Boise offer visitors the chance to taste produce at its peak, while Symms fruit, juices, vegetables, and beef can be found in retail stores across the Western U.S.

The Sunny Slope region offers a unique microclimate that helps produce some of the world’s most flavorful fruit. Volcanic soils, dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, and ideal sunlight combine to create conditions perfect for tree-ripened fruit, allowing cherries, peaches, apricots, and more to develop deep, concentrated flavors that are impossible to replicate elsewhere.

Always looking for new opportunities, the family began a new line of consumer packaged goods with freeze-dried fruit, called Lizard Butte Fruit, named after the landmark that overlooks their orchards. For Jamie, adapting the business of the family farm is part of the thrill. “Like any business, you have to keep evolving,” he says.

If possible, plan a visit to the Sunny Slope farm stand during peach harvest, located next to the packing shed, where the sweet, heady aroma from the cold storage sheds offers a memorable, sensory reminder of the bounty that passes through Symms’ doors each season.

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