Cider Chat

032: Steve Wood | Farnum Hill Cider, NH


Listen Later

  • Enjoy Part 1 of a two part chat with the founders and cider makers of Farnum Hill Cider, in Lebanon New Hampshire. This OG cidery sits on the slope of Farnum Hill with nearby town of White River Junction and the Connecticut River to the east. 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.

    The Founders of Farnum Hill

    Steve M. Wood and Louisa D. Spencer Founded the cidery in 1995 while already planting Poverty Lane Orchards in the late Make sure to note during this chat how many scions have passed out of this site and across the US.

    Steve Wood in the Orchard

    " data-medium-file= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-feature-Steve-Farnum-Hill-200x300-1.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-feature-Steve-Farnum-Hill-200x300-1.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" /> Steve Wood in the Orchard In Part 2 /Episode 032, a candid chat with Steve and Louisa. Lousia Spencer

    " data-medium-file= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-Louisa-Spencer-Farnum-Hill-200x300-1.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-Louisa-Spencer-Farnum-Hill-200x300-1.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-src= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-Louisa-Spencer-Farnum-Hill-200x300-1.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1" /> Lousia Spencer

    For this chat, we (Steve, Nicole and Ria) walked up the hill to the top of the orchard where Steve provides the backdrop surrounding the early beginnings of Farnum Hill.

    Nicole Leibon LeGrand

    " data-medium-file= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-Nicole-Leibon-LeGrand-300x200-1.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-large-file= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-Nicole-Leibon-LeGrand-300x200-1.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-src= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/32-Nicole-Leibon-LeGrand-300x200-1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1" /> Nicole Leibon LeGrand Ria and Steve Wood, chatting above an orchard on Farnum Hill A chat overlooking Farnum Hill
    • 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

    "During the 90s we started throwing apples in the ground."

    Contact and Visiting info Poverty Lane Orchards & Farnum Hill Ciders
    • Website: https://farnumhillciders.com/
    • Address: 98 Poverty Lane Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766

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!

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Cider ChatBy Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

85 ratings


More shows like Cider Chat

View all
Planet Money by NPR

Planet Money

30,871 Listeners

The Bill Simmons Podcast by The Ringer

The Bill Simmons Podcast

30,269 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,496 Listeners

Orchard People by Susan Poizner, OrchardPeople.com

Orchard People

51 Listeners

Pod Save America by Crooked Media

Pod Save America

87,757 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

113,207 Listeners

Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

Radio Atlantic

2,375 Listeners

Today, Explained by Vox

Today, Explained

10,312 Listeners

The Peter Attia Drive by Peter Attia, MD

The Peter Attia Drive

8,718 Listeners

The Intelligence from The Economist by The Economist

The Intelligence from The Economist

2,564 Listeners

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

5,636 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

15,830 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,291 Listeners

Things Bakers Know: The King Arthur Baking Podcast by King Arthur Baking Company

Things Bakers Know: The King Arthur Baking Podcast

632 Listeners

The Zach Lowe Show by The Ringer

The Zach Lowe Show

2,141 Listeners