197: Top 5 Picks for Franklin County CiderDays

197: Top 5 Picks for Franklin County CiderDays

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist October 16, 2019 Duration: 48:13

Top 5 Picks for Franklin County CiderDays

Franklin County CiderDays takes place on the first weekend of November every year as it has been for the past 25 years.

Yes, this November 1-3, 2019 is the 25th Annual and the number of events taking place across the county are outstanding.

Download CiderDays schedule

Here are my Top 5 Picks if your time is limited and/or you are wondering what to do during this epic fest.

CiderDays sign

In this chat we go with #5 to #1

5. 2nd Annual New England Cider Tour October 31st

8am - 6:30pm Start and End point Greenfield, MA

New England Cider Tour

4. Cider Pub Sing 7:30 - 9pm November 1st

9pm The Crowning of Pomona with Judith Maloney of West County Cider

Location: Episcopal Church Parish Hall, the back hall of Saint James Church

8 Church St, Greenfield, MA

3. Cider Salon, November 2nd

3:30 - 5:00 Cider Salon I: Tasting of Ciders from across N. America $35/ticket Unity Park, Turners Falls

5:45 - 7:15 Cider Salon II: Tasting of Ciders from across N. America $35/ticket Unity Park, Turners Falls

2. Peckville Road, Greenfield

Take a drive up Peckville Road and stop at West County Cider and Apex Orchard

Take a walk in the orchard

Views looking out to New Hampshire and Mount ManadnockCiderDay sign - Ria's Making cider workshop

#1 Pick if you can only do one thing?

Find the Apple Pretzels in each tree in the orchard at New Salem Preserves & Heritage Cider and see one of the oldest Perry Pear trees in the US!Apple Pretzels at New Salem Preserves and Heritage Cider

Location:

67 S Main St

New Salem, Massachusetts

Extra Bonus offerings at CiderDays to check out!

Author Book Signings November 2

Ben Watson: Cider Hard and Sweet 2-3pm

John Bunker Apples and the Art of Detection 4:30-5:30pm

Michael Phillips The Hollistic Orchard, The Apple Grower, Mycorrhizal Planet 4:30-5:30

Location: Two Birds

  • 106 Avenue A
  • Turners Falls, Massachusetts 01376
  • 413) 863-5782

Exhibit: 25 Years of CiderDays October 25 - November 6, 2019

Over twenty-five years, CiderDays has evolved to a three day, county-wide festival celebrating the apple in all of its forms and providing sessions on every aspect of apple usage. The Great Falls Discovery Center hosts an exhibition of historic cider presses and images that honor the orchards, producers and enthusiasts who have advanced the art of cidermaking. Sponsored by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. November 1-3, 2019. For a full schedule visit: ciderdays.org.

Great Falls Discovery Center

  • Hours: 10 am - 4pm
  • Free

Location:

  • 2 Avenue A
  • Turners Falls MA 01376
  • 413-863-3221

Mentions in this Chat

Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving!

Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts.

 


There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 501

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
428: Winchester Ciderworks: English Inspiration and Virginia Apples [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:26
From Suffolk to Virginia: Stephen Schuurman's Cider Journey In Episode 428 of Cider Chat, we meet Stephen Schuurman, owner and cider maker at Winchester Ciderworks in Winchester, Virginia. Originally from Suffolk, Englan…
427: Under 30 Startup Ingenuity | Heartland Cideworks, OR [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:47
Collaboration Meets Ingenuity at Heartland Ciderworks This episode is packed with insights for anyone interested in the intersection of entrepreneurship and craft cider-making. In Episode 427 of Cider Chat, Eliseo Bell-U…
426: Red Island Cider: Crafting Stories in Every Bottle | PEI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:30
Discover Red Island Cider on Prince Edward Island Guest podcaster Al Saxs interviews Red Island Cider owner and maker Robert van Waarden in this episode 426 of Cider Chat. Red Island Cider is located on Canada's reknown…
425: Babycham to Triple Vintage – The Showering's Cider Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:55
The Showering name is synonymous with both innovation and tradition in the world of cider for the past 187 years. In this Episode 425 of Cider Chat, Nick Showering shares a bit on his family's cider-making roots that str…
424: Master Class on Apple Phenotyping w/John Bunker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:40
Apple Phenotyping: The Tools Every Orchardist Needs In Episode 424 of Cider Chat, we dive deeper into the intricate world of apple identification, this time focusing on apple phenotyping — the art and science of describi…
423:  Apple Id 101 w/John Bunker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:05
In Episode 423 of Cider Chat, we delve into the fascinating world of apple identification a.k.a. Apple Id with the one and only John Bunker, a renowned author and the c0-founder of FEDCO Trees, Maine Organic Farmers and…
422: John Bunker Keynote on Orchards and Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:22
New York Apple Camp Keynote Address by John Bunker In a captivating keynote from the 2023 New York Apple Camp, John Bunker, the founder of FEDCO Trees and renowned author on apple identification, shared his profound conn…
421: Explore the Rich History of Chilean Cider w/Punta de Fierro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:18
Eli Shanks' of Punta de Fierro Fine Cider In this episode meet Eli Shanks, a passionate cider maker sharing his journey from urban Massachusetts to the picturesque landscapes of Chile, where he co-founded Punta de Fierro…
420: Books, Cider, Cheesecake | Cider Chat Live [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:41
Basque Cheesecake and Santa Cruz Cider Cider Chat Live brings you a tasting of a celebratory cider from Santa Cruz Cider Company paires with a what is called Basque Cheesecake! Basque Cheesecake is much less dense than c…
419: Canadian Cider Making: The Wooden Gate Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:18
Wooden Gate: From Farm to Cidery with Clint Caver Clint Cavers and his wife Pamela have been farming for over 30 years at Wooden Gate The Farm and cidery is based in Pilot Mound, Manitoba, Canada which is right over the…