466: Growing Cold-Hardy Trees at Saint Lawrence Nursery | NY

466: Growing Cold-Hardy Trees at Saint Lawrence Nursery | NY

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist July 30, 2025 Duration: 1:18:06

A Century of Cold-Hardy Trees

Saint Lawrence Nursery in Potsdam, NY, has been helping cold-climate growers find success since the 1920s. Originally founded by Fred Ashworth and later expanded by Bill MacKentley, the nursery is now stewarded by Connor and Allyssa Hardiman, the third generation in a nonfamilial succession.

Ep: 466 Allyssa and Connor Hardiman in the Saint Lawrence Nursery orchard

What Sets Saint Lawrence Nursery Apart

Cold-Hardy Genetics

  • Over 250 apple varieties
  • Trialed at temperatures as low as -34°F
  • Trees that thrive from Alaska to Michigan

Only Standard Rootstock

  • Seedling Antonovka (apples) and Baccata (crabs) for resilience and longevity
  • Trees that can live 100+ years

More Than Apples

  • Black walnuts, butternuts, hazelnuts, and berry bushes
  • Custom grafting for heirloom preservation
  • Regionally adapted selections from partnerships and testing plots

Passing the Torch of Generational Wisdom and Branding

The nursery was handed down without a sale. It was gifted by Bill to Connor in a rare act of agricultural generosity. The plan is to do the same one day. "Love is what makes the world go 'round," Bill often says, and it's embedded in every tree tag and planting guide.

Cold Hardy Trees For Orchardists and Backyard Growers

Most customers are small-scale planters or long-time loyalists. Whether you want just one tree to honor a grandparent or 100 cider apples for a startup orchard, Connor and Allyssa are here to help—with personal attention, a rich planting guide, and an option to let them choose the right tree for you.

Contact Info for Saint Lawrence Nursery

Mentions in this Cider Chat


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: 100

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
409: Cider's Pilot Guy & Intel Girl | Olympic Bluffs, WA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:05
Escape to Olympic Bluffs a Dream Vacation Destination Olympic Bluffs Cidery & Lavender Farm is located on the northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. The farm is on a bluff that overlooks the Salish…
408: Cider's Pomological Life Coach | Know Your Roots, NY [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:57
Mike Biltonen and his wife Debbie founded Know Your Roots in 2008 and began offering a wide array of service for backyard and commercial orchardists in 2014. Mike This conversation tool place at the Berkshire Roundtable…
407: Cider Log Tutorial w/Frosty Twig [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:56
Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. A Cider Log Documents Ferments from Start to Finish Find a free downloadable Cider Log for your next ferment below! Dan Gallagher of Frosty Twig C…
406: Japan Is An Apple Country | Lee Reeve [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:10
Japan is not only Cherry Blossom, but also Apple Country! Lee Reeve of InCiderJapan kicks off this episode stating "Japan is Apple Country." And he is right… because Lee has been on the podcast 3x's and has taught listen…
405: Fruit, Flowers, & Feeling | Revel Cider, Ontario [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:08
Tariq Ahmed on the Founding and Fermentation Styles at Revel Revel Cider was founded in 2014 and is located in Ontario a little over one hour west of Niagara Falls. Hear Tariq tell how he both got into fermentation, how…
404: Uk's Ross Cider & Perry is Lit! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:23
Featuring Albert Johnson of Ross Cider and Perry Company Ross Cider and Perry is a family owned business located in the West Country of the United Kingdom in the region of Heredfordshire. The Johnson family have been far…
403: Botanist and Barrel Eclectic Ferments | NC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:33
Meet one half of the family team at Botanist and Barrel Botanist and Barrel is a family owned and operated cidery. Kether Smith and brother Lyndon and their respective spouses Derick McGuffey and Amie Fields make the mag…
402: Michigan's Simply, Spectacular PIF Cider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:59
Meet the Founders of Presque Isle Farm Cider a.k.a PIF Molly and Dion Stepanski are the founders of of PIF Cider with an inviting Tasting Room located in Alpena, Michigan. They met in New Orleans where Dion was working a…
401: Celebrity Chef Brian Duffy Cider Pairing Tips [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:13
Chef Duffy Talks Cooking with Cider Chef Brian Duffy is one of the culinary's industry's most dynamic and innovative personalities. Chef Brian Duffy With a career that spans decades, He has been captivating audiences wit…

«1...678910