Historically, Orland Township was a thriving agricultural community dominated by family farms producing dairy, corn, wheat, and oats. Today, commercial agriculture has virtually disappeared from the township, entirely displaced by mid-to-late 20th-century residential and commercial development.
What remains of the area's agricultural legacy is mostly cultural or preserved in small pockets. The Cook County Forest Preserves maintain some open grasslands, and there are a few private equestrian facilities nearby. Community gardens, farmers' markets (such as the popular Orland Park Farmers' Market), and an increasing local interest in sustainable, organic food production keep a small connection to the region's agrarian roots alive.