Otto and Antonie Eckhardt were among the Pioneer Peach Growers in Gillespie County. They planted their first orchard in 1920 after Otto came home from World War I. They included peach, plum, apricot, and pear trees, as well as grapes.

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In 1936, the Eckhardt family started commercial operations of their orchard. As the market for more peaches developed, the Eckhardt‘s became co- organizers of the Hill Country Fruit Growers’ Co-Op. Through the years, four of the Eckhardt‘s sons (Gilbert, Victor, Clemens, and Donald) continued as peach growers.

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Donald continued to expand his orchards, and in 1981 Donald and his wife Carol left the HCFG Co-Op, and began selling their peaches directly to the public. In 2002, he and Carol retired and their daughters, Dianne and Debbie, continued as the third generation Fredericksburg peach growers.  The fourth generation has firm roots planted for the future!