032: Steve Wood | Farnum Hill Cider, NH

This is Part 1 of a two part chat with the founders and cidermakers at Farnum Hill Cider, in Lebanon New Hampshire.  The cidery sits on the slope of Farnum Hill. Like many New England orchards and farms there is not necessarily open continuous land, but small acreage here and there, wherein the case of FHC- cider apple trees are planted in large and small fields of 3 to 4 and 20 acres plots.

Farnum Hill is highly regarded for their cider, producing select cider apples, and is one of the key tap roots for moving cider out of the back room barns and into the minds of craft libation connoisseurs for the first time post prohibition.

(Not that there is anything wrong with "back room barn cider".)

Founded by Steve M. Wood and Louisa D. Spencer, the cidery and orchards are what one can call an American Heritage Cidery. Make sure to note during this chat how many scions have passed out of this site and across the US. 

For this chat, we walked up the hill to the top of the orchard. Steve provides the backdrop of history surrounding the early beginnings of Farnum Hill.

Here is a snap shoot of our chat.

• 1965 - Steve was eleven years old when he started working at the farm. His dad was an apple farmer and the local doctor.
• Steve and Louisa arrived back to the farm in 1973...post college
• 1984 bought Poverty Hill Orchards
• 1989 planted the first commercial size cider orchard in the US -  a 1000 trees
• 1995 Became bonded to begin selling cider
• 1990s - Steve began studying winemaking
• Throughout the 90s they began planting more and more fruit trees

For patrons of Cider Chat, via Cider Chat's Patreon page there will a YouTube clip available for viewing Steve Wood blending cider. It will go live on Thursday May 26th. It is easy to become a patron and it really helps this chat thrive. Please do consider becoming a Patron of the Chat today!

Find the show notes and photos at cider chat.com

Go to episode 032

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