Barber Orchards Fruit Stand — Local services in Waynesville

To be fair I will name the positive first. 1. The produce was a nice selection. 2. The produce area was clean with no bad odor. 3. The produce seemed very fresh and very minimally blemished. Then our first impression went bad. I’m a blue ribbon winning canner. I frequent produce stands a lot in the summer and buy more than most people. We heard good things about this place and were excited when we saw the open sign on the billboard. After the cashier had trouble getting my order rang up properly, we stood in a very long line to the bakery for the turnovers we were told were famous. Not only did they not have turnovers, they had nothing apple flavored left on a midweek day at noon at the beginning of apple season. As a former baker it seemed this bakery wasn’t being run well. The employees very curtly said no more orders for apple. We were very disappointed because we had driven over an hour to get there for those turnovers. When I expressed my disappointment to Barber Orchards online on FB I was immediately berated and attacked online by a group of their followers. They said it was my fault and I should’ve preordered what I wanted. I had no idea I had to do that as a brand new customer. The bakery is overwhelmed and cannot handle the load of orders so if you want something specific you have to preorder it. Hassle 1. I don’t know anyone that wants to preorder food from a place you’ve never been with a sanitation score you haven’t seen either. I was willing to give this place a chance until I got attacked online by a bunch of rude, repugnant clientele. Hassle 2. The clientele has ruined this place for me. There are lots of better places to get apples that don’t make it a total hassle to spend money there. Places that don’t have nasty customers that hate new people or tourists. Just a big cringey hassle to spend money here. Way overrated.

Edit to add: the apples all had brown mushy spots within 3 days. That must be why there’s a sign posted that says they aren’t responsible for produce after it leaves. It seems it may not be as fresh as you...

I go to Barbers Orchard several times a year when we are at our mountain home. I have always had excellent service and the products are amazing. However, today, I was met with the rudest two woman. One was a young lady writing down your order at the bakery. She wouldn't look up when asking what you wanted and just rolling her eyes saying, "anything else", as if we were bothering her. Then I get to the register and the woman checking us out with burgundy hair, I let her know that I didn't see their apple fritters when I ordered would it be possible to add, and she said no you have to go back in line. No problem, we went back in line. While in line, I noticed that we were not given the caramel apple cookies we ordered the first go round. Back to the lovely girl with the attitude, I let her know we wanted apple fritters and that I was not given the caramel apple cookies to which she replied, "You didn't order caramel apple cookies!" I said yes, I did, and she said, "no you didn't you ordered oatmeal raisin" I did respond harshly that "No I didn't order oatmeal raisin, I ordered caramel apple cookies" and I showed her the receipt. Her response "Oh!". The worse part, and the part I am still upset about is that the burgundy haired lady rudely leaves her cash register to scold me while I am talking to the rude girl and says "Ma'am we will make it right! We are busy!". She had no clue how rude the girl was and that she was arguing with me about what I bought. I had to write this complaint because there was so much wrong with this entire interaction. At the end of the day, I want to make sure that I do let anyone know that the quality is great. I just hope these two ladies, either find positions they like or learn to be nice and not argue with...

I have waited as I have for last Twenty Years for August 1. That date has been very special for me. Once again I can buy what I have considered the best Apple Pie in North Carolina. I am not sure what Barbers did to change their once great Apple Pie. I picked up my pie this morning. It was not what I enjoyed in the past. I’m hoping that they did not change the recipe. However, the pie tasted like it was frozen and thawed before its sale. The filling no longer had the crisp and juicy thin apple filling that I’m use to. It was much more jelly like with the addition of cornstarch and less apple and again did not taste like a fresh pie. Additionally the crust was no longer flakey which also made it so delicious. Im hoping that just maybe I accidentally got a pie that was baked weeks ago and maybe my pie used the filling from the bottom of the vat where all the jelly was rather than throw it out. I’m hoping this not the future of the pies that we can expect from Barbers. Has there been a change in the recipe and production of your pies ? I wonder if Barbers was sold and under...