326: Orchards & People | Stories in Ciderville

326: Orchards & People | Stories in Ciderville

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist July 6, 2022 Duration: 26:00

Orchards can be as small as 2, 5 or 10 trees. Get tips on how to manage a small scale orchard at CiderDays 2.0 with John Bunker on November 5th at 9am. Get updates and ticket information by following Cider Chat and signing up for the eCiderNews.

CiderDays 2.0 300x200 blk background

Orchards in Winter with Alan Suprenant

Alan was last on Cider Chat in Episode 312: Some Angels Dress Like Bears a tribute to Orchardist and Author Michael Phillips who passed away suddenly in his own orchard this year 2022. In this week's episode, we hear what is called Stories in Ciderville, a recording that Alan sent my way this Spring. Listeners are welcome to send recorded stories that they wrote which reflect upon cider, apples, orchards, pears, basically anything pome related.

In this episode we hear a recording from Alan that he wrote to share with his fellow parishioners in a congregation in Ashfield, Massachusetts that he attends.

326 Feature Alan Suprenant hugging tree 300x200

Orchards Lessons

In this Stories from Ciderville, Alan shares his continuing grief over the loss of his dear friend Michael, but that is only one part of the story. The bigger picture is his encouragement to reflect upon our own personal caretaking and nurturing of relationships that feed us well, much like a well tended orchard. And conversely to prune that which no longer serves us. Most timely, is Alan's perspective of seeing the best in people, something that I can wholeheartedly embrace at a time when there is so much angst in the world.

Enjoy this mini Cider Chat and special edition of Stories in Ciderville.

Have a story to tell for the "Stories in Ciderville" segment?

  • Must be 3000 words or less or under 4 audio minutes
  • Apples and pommes must be integrated into the story line
  • Send your essay and a recording of yourself reading your essay to info@ciderchat.com

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
169: History of Alcohol Law | Marc Sorini [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:29
A History of Alcohol Law as presented by Marc Sorini at CiderCon2019, Chicago Attorney Marc Sorini is a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP based in Washington. DC. Marc is considered the go-to attorney on the alcohol…
168: Barrel Aging Cider Inspiration [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:16
Using Oak Barrels in Cidermaking - What do you want to know? Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider based in Prince Edward County, Ontario Canada presented an extended seminar on Oak Barrels at CiderCon 2019 in Chicago. [captio…
167: Cider Vortex Tales | Chicago2019 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:09
167: Cider Vortex Tales | Chicago2019 This episodes highlights recordings made during Chicago Cider Week February 1-9, 2019. SHERYL YOUNGBLOOD w/ Terrell Carter CiderCon, the annual Trade Conference for members of the Un…
166: Cider Chat Live | Lift off CiderCon2019 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:12
166 Cider Chat Live | Life off CiderCon2019 I was able to squeak in a mini episode before setting off to Chicago for the annual cider trade conference "CiderCon" hosted by the United States Association of Cider Makers. I…
165: Monterey Bay Cider Tour | California [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:46
Monterey Bay, California cider tour April 12th & 13th, 2019 Reservations are open! Must be 21 years or older to attend. Tour Begins: 1pm Friday | April 12, 2019 in Capitola, California Meet the makers and orchardists of…
164: Soquel Cider's Organic Orchards | California [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:00
Soquel Cider's Organic Orchards | California Soquel Cider is located at the Everett Family Farm in Soquel, California. Laura and Rich Everett were looking for away to get back to the land and enjoying a bit of farming, w…
163: Pro Tips for Navigating CiderCon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:27
Pro Tips for Navigating CiderCon 2019 Ambrosia Borowski is the General Manager of The Northman a cider bar in Chicago. She also spearheaded Chicago Cider Week. In this chat, Ambrosia chats: Tips for making a Calvados Coc…
162: S. Martinelli & Co. | 150 Years of Cider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:41
S. Martinelli & Company was founded by Stephen Martinelli in 1868. The company is located, as it has always been, for the last 150 years in Watsonville, California. The first cider made by Stephen was a 7.5% alcohol by v…
161: Best of Show | Cider Judging [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:16
Best of Show | Cider Judging at Franklin County CiderDays 2018 is featured in this episode 161. Franklin County CiderDays takes place on the first weekend of November in "Franklin County" Massachusetts. This year 2019 wi…
160: The Way of the Amateur [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:04
The Way of the Amateur How do you pronounce Amateur? Did you know there is more than one way to approach this word? Do you use "amateur" as a compliment or an insult? If you are swinging back and forth on your answers to…