A Day at the Orchard: Spring Planting

Planting Last Years Grafted Trees

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, it is spring! That means it’s time to head to the orchard and plant some of my grafted trees. While I don’t own an orchard, I am lucky enough that a couple of the owners allow me to plant trees in their orchards. This gives me a … Continue reading A Day at the Orchard: Spring Planting

A Day at the Orchard: Apple Paradise Revisited

Apple Paradise Revisited

I brought reinforcements and a better plan for my second visit to apple paradise. Our COVID friend met us at the experimental orchard, my apple paradise, to help us find and pick apples. We introduced him to varieties that he’d never heard. We were also able to spend a fair amount of time talking with … Continue reading A Day at the Orchard: Apple Paradise Revisited

A Day at the Orchard: Apple Paradise

Apple Pardise

There is a saying in many English speaking countries that summed up my weekend apple picking experience. That saying is “like a kid in a candy store”. This year, I have been searching southern Arizona for new and unique apples. It has taken me to several new orchards and so far, I have found 6 … Continue reading A Day at the Orchard: Apple Paradise

Summer Cider Tour

Summer Cider Tour

It’s August and that means it’s time for our annual cider tour to Phoenix. Usually, that involves a lunch stop at Phoenix’s only cidery, Cider Corp, to sample their latest creations while getting a bite to eat from a food truck parked out front or their pizza oven. Face masks and social distancing changed that … Continue reading Summer Cider Tour

A Cider Trip: The New Normal

Cider Trip: New Normal

Earth Log: June 21, 2118 We emerged from our shelter today to a new world. A world filled with empty restaurants and most everyone walking around with masks. We did see some dinosaurs without face coverings but I’m pretty sure they are on their way to extinction in our area of the world. But in … Continue reading A Cider Trip: The New Normal

My Favorite Adjunct Hard Ciders

Favorite Adjunct Ciders

Unlike Traditional hard ciders, Adjunct hard ciders have fruits, herbs, vegetables, spices, and other ingredients like honey or oak called adjuncts that change the look, taste, or smell of a hard cider. For me, an Adjunct hard cider should be about the adjunct and less about the apple or the pear. Personally, I also want … Continue reading My Favorite Adjunct Hard Ciders

Socially Distanced Hard Cider

Socially Distanced Hard Cider: Botanist & Bottle

We will all experience life changing or life impacting events. The longer we live, the more of them we have. Usually, these events impact us or a small group around us. However, sometimes the impact is larger, but rarely, do we experience an event that truly impacts our entire world. We are all living in … Continue reading Socially Distanced Hard Cider

My Favorite Traditional Hard Ciders

Traditional Hard Cider

Traditional hard ciders are those made from only apples and pears. No adjuncts, which would be anything that augments the color, flavor, or taste of the hard cider. For me, that includes aging in oak. I’ve set out to taste as many hard ciders as I can from all over the world. I’m not sure … Continue reading My Favorite Traditional Hard Ciders