Owner Ron Bixby shares some Little Apple facts with you:
Our approach to our business:
Traditional single variety and blended hard ciders with organic fruit from our own orchards.
Special/Unique products:
Several: Quince Cider; Floraison our naturally carbonated sparkling cider; Nobletown cider aged in bourbon barrels from Hillrock Distillery.
A little history:
Ron Bixby purchased Little Apple Farm Orchard in 1980 and sold organic apples for many years. He started the cider business in 2014, built the cidery production facility and opened for business in 2015. Ron created the Orchard Bar in his barn in 2020 at the beginning of COVID and The Orchard Bar Market offering light food and snacks.
Hayley Shine, a highly experienced brewer and cider maker on the West Coast and Chicago, joined the Cidery in 2019. Lisa Graeden took on responsibility for the Orchard Bar in 2020. Both helped navigate the business through COVID and currently share management, production and marketing roles in our three member team.
Where do we make the cider?
We are a Farm Cidery, meaning we both grow apples and produce cider. The cidery production facility is located on Little Apple Farm on Orchard Lane in Hillsdale next to the Apple and Pear Orchards.
Where can we find your cider?
Our market is local; we have direct sales from the Orchard Bar on Saturday and Sunday afternoons 1-6 pm, Random Harvest in Craryville, Bread Alone in Chatham and of course the Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market.
Good to know:
We are dog and children friendly, hold music events and private parties, and partner with the Aloha Taco truck on selected dates. We also encourage customers to stroll up our orchard path to the pond for great views of Catamount and the Taconic Ridge.