BETHEL — Sparrowhawk Orchard, a local orchard, is going on three years of business in the Bethel area.

The orchard, formerly Lyon’s Orchard, had been closed for nearly two years when the Crookers purchased the property. Nate Crooker said that they had been visiting Bethel for at least 15 years before that, and made the decision to move with the purchase of the orchard.

The orchard began with around 400 mature trees, that have since been managed by the Crooker family. They chose the name Sparrowhawk Orchard for the proximity to Sparrowhawk mountain, as well as the large number of kestrels that frequent the area in the spring.

They started out simply, with the U-pick and orchard stand. Since then, they have expanded in an effort to provide what Nate calls an “All around agricultural experience.” Each year they have explored a new feature, gradually expanding what is offered. Since the orchard’s reopening, they have added a garden, experimenting with pumpkin growing. “It’s primarily for our own decoration right now,” Said Nate. They also sell excess tomatoes from their garden, and are hoping to sell eggs in the future with the addition of chickens.

At the time of their purchase, much of the 22 acre orchard was open field. Some of the sections have been left wild, to serve as a space for pollinators. A large number of milkweed plants provide a habitat for monarchs.

Another new addition to the orchard are a few pigs. They are used to help furrow the ground, and there are also plans to sell them once they reach a proper size. The pigs are fed on a combination of grain and dropped apples from the trees. The drops can also be sold to other farms as feed for animals.

Moving toward the future, the Crookers hope to move into the business of selling Christmas trees as well. Nate explained that they want a “multi season experience” at their orchard, with apples in the fall and trees in the winter.