History

In 1919, John Kazimour bought a picturesque twenty-acre plot of land outside the Cedar Rapids city limits. The land was forested, so John and his chums spent three years clearing it and began planting fruits and vegetables. There were approximately twelve apple trees on the land when purchased.

After consulting with the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now Iowa State University), John (and his wife Mary) were advised to grow apples. A thorough analysis revealed that apples would thrive in the area and were a crop few others were growing locally.

John gradually transitioned from truck farm crops to apples. By the late 1940s, Kazimour Farm and Orchard apples were highly sought after and consistently won awards at the Iowa State Fair.

With the purchase of an additional twenty acres, at its peak, the orchard boasted over 3,000 trees. Other fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, grapes, plums, and cherries, were also cultivated and sold.