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
149: Pro Tips for attending Franklin County CiderDays | MA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:51
Sign up for the New England Cider Tour November 1st! The first Franklin County CiderDays began as a one day event on the first Saturday of November. The year was 1994. It has been held on the first weekend of November ev…
148: UN Makers at Kings Mill Cider | Ontario [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:35
Kees Morsink and Margaret Van Helvoort have traveled the world as United Nations aid workers in Africa where they were fermenting everything from yogurt to mango and even doing some distilling. Cider isn't new to these t…
147: Sightseeing in Paris | CCLive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:45
What do you do before a cider tour sets sail from Paris to Normandy? You take in the city of lights, sounds and sights. River Tour by Eiffel Tower This episode is a Cider Chat Live recording - I had limited time, so this…
146: Cider Tour 2018 Netherlands | CCLIVE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:48
Cider Touring 2018 Netherlands | CCLive Mini clips of travels and tips while in Amsterdam in September. Anne Frank's house A visit to Apples en Peren in Amsterdam Then on to the Vondelpark to visit the Medlar tree Medlar…
145: 1 Guy & 6 Girls | Sietsema Cider, MI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:49
Andy Sietsema comes from a long line of apple growers in the Grand Rapids area of Michigan. He is a fourth generation farmer and now a professional cidermaker at Sietsema Cider. Since launching the cidermaking operation…
144: New England Cider Tour & Dinner | November 1, 2018 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:59
New England is comprised of 6 states, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut and is home to some of the United States' oldest commercial cideries. In what is known as western Massachusett…
143: Perry & Cider at Windswept | Georgian Bay, CA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:10
There is Perry being made in Georgian Bay, Ontario! Windswept Orchard Cider is 2 years old (founded in 2016) and is the creation of Mark Skinner, wife Courtney and their two kids. This couples background is culinary cook…
142: SoCal Irreverence at Ironbark Ciderworks, CA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:34
Ironbark Ciderworks in Claremont, California opened its Tasting Room doors to the public in November of 2017. The large inviting Tasting Room has conical stainless steel tanks to one side and room for musicians to anothe…
141: Cider Lunch at Heartwood Farm & Cidery | Ontario [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:43
Val Steinmann and Brent Klassen moved from the city to the 42 acre farm that is now called Heartwood Farm and Cidery in 2004. In the past 14 years, they created pasture and now have a herd of 20 cows each summer. They ha…
140: Commercial Cidermaking | Niagara College, Ontario [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:04
Niagara College has two locations in Ontario, Canada. This chat features the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus which has a fully licensed winery on site (which is what is needed to make cider in Canada). It is here that past st…