Illinois Orchard Owned By Ukrainian Native Grateful For U.S. Support

WOODSTOCK, IL — Owning his own farm has always been Ukraine native Sergiy Bazylyuk’s American Dream. But now, he is using part of the land he grows and harvests each year to show his appreciation for the support his fellow Americans have demonstrated to his home country in times of great conflict.

Bazylyuk owns three apple orchards in the northwest suburbs, including two in Woodstock. But it’s at one of the two Woodstock Sun Berry Farm locations (2318 Greenwood Rd.) where he has carved out a message on his property that shares the feelings he carries in his heart each day.

Planted into the corn maze are the words, “God Bless America” and “Glory To Ukraine,” which appears above two Ukrainian symbols — a sunflower, which is Ukraine's national flower, and a trident, the Ukrainian coat of arms. In addition to the Ukrainian symbolic tribute, the homage to the United States includes grown-in images of two stars and an eagle that showcase Bazylyuk’s loyalties to both countries.

Bazylyuk planted the field in May and used a design map and computerized digital planter and template that allowed the field design to take shape in just a day, he told Patch. But the inspiration came even before that, given the way that the U.S. has supported Ukraine since the country was invaded by Russian forces.

“(The field) is just an expression of what we feel and what we’ve seen at this point and at this time,” Bazylyuk said on Friday. “We just wanted to express our gratitude to the U.S. for supporting Ukraine as well as honoring our heroes and show our pride for Ukraine.”

Bazylyuk has been farming in the northwest suburbs for the past five years but came to the United States more than 20 years ago for college. He is a U.S. citizen, but his family has a history of working in agriculture in Ukraine, which led to his American aspirations to continue in the family business.

Sun Berry Farm produces more than 150 varieties of apples which come from more than 20,000 trees which are planted on the three properties in Woodstock and Mundelein. This is the first year that the orchards have opened up to the public for apple-picking and for the corn maze, which has just started as fall activities across the region begin to ramp up. Bazylyuk is also planning to operate a cider mill at the farm, which he said he hopes to have up and running next week.

When Bazylyuk decided to go ahead with the intentional design, he said he only hoped that it would turn out. But after he saw the finished product and saw the response that came after the farm posted photos on social media, he knew that he did the right thing.

“I was impressed, definitely I was impressed,” he said. “I was glad it turned out this nicely.”

The farm is charging $10 for people to go through the maze and will be donating 10 percent of the proceeds to Ukraine, where Bazyuk still has family, including two relatives who serve in the Ukrainian army.

He says his family members are safe while the soldiers continue to fight a war that Bazylyuk characterized as unnecessary after an “unprovoked” attack by Russian forces. But like other Ukrainians, Bazylyuk is grateful for the support he has seen come from the U.S. since the war started.

With corn maze tours just ramping up, Bazylyuk said that the field design will remain good until November when fall begins to give way to winter. He said he hopes that people will visit not only to taste his family’s apples but also to experience a message that he connects people — no matter their nationality.

“We don’t have enough places where families can spend quality time with their kids,” he said Friday. “So that was our plan (to offer that) and it has started working well.”