Fred "Farmer Fred" Sorbello announced Hill Creek Farms is closing after this season.

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

It’s the end of an era in South Jersey: Hill Creek Farms will close after this apple-picking season, the farm's owner announced, citing "bureaucracy" and the county's board of health.

For four generations, the Sorbello family has grown fruit and vegetables in Mullica Hill. The orchards of apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, and rows of vegetables became a seasonal tradition, drawing thousands of families each autumn.

Fred "Farmer Fred" Sorbello, who began working on the farm at age 8 and inherited it at 23, later built one of the largest food logistics companies in the world, with operations across Europe, South America, Australia, the UK, and North America.

Despite that success, he returned to farming in 2006 to honor his grandparents, Italian immigrants who settled in New Jersey in the 1920s. “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,” the farm's website reads.

Hill Creek opened to the public for U-Pick in 2008 and grew into what Sorbello called the “number 1 Apple U-Pick destination of this tri-state area.” But the demands of running the farm — especially under strict health regulations — have pushed him to step away.

“The one agency who truly has made me say ‘no more’ is the Board of Health and the demands they hold even a small family farm market for a 9-10 weekend operation,” Sorbello said. “To meet their demands puts this farm at a crossroad, either go big because of the added investment requirements and operate 10-12 months a year or simply say it’s time to stop.”

In an Aug. 4 Facebook post, Sorbello said the decision comes with “mixed emotions” but that “it is time for Farmer Fred to retire from his most favorite business passion of farming.” 

He reflected on his childhood working alongside his parents, Samuel and Rose, and the long summer days that shaped him. “In 2004, I decided to bring it back, planting 14,000 apple trees to honor two generations before me and farming again to remind my 5 grandchildren that these are our roots,” Sorbello wrote. “Opening to the public in 2008 for U-Pick was a dream come true, and it’s been a rewarding journey ever since.”

“But after years of love and hard work, it’s time to call it a career,” he continued. “The constant regulatory challenges have made it difficult to continue. I’ve decided it’s time to close this chapter. Hill Creek Farms will officially transition into MC Farms NJ after this final season. We’ll open one last season this fall, but it’ll be U-Pick only. So come enjoy the apples, sunflowers, and memories with us one last time.”

Hill Creek Farms will open Sept. 6 for its final season. Visitors can pick Jonagold apples and sunflowers, ride the hay wagon, and let the kids hop on the barrel train. The playground, market, and wine garden will remain closed.

The farm will transition to MCfarms under the leadership of Mario Caltabiano. Sorbello said the mission remains unchanged: “a place for families to experience the joy of U-Pick apples and farm life.”

Hill Creek Farms is located at 1631 State Highway 45 in Mullica Hill.