soaked up know-how from renown
picked, pressed, expertly blended,
cider masters and jumped through
fermented for months for distinc-
all the appropriate county reg
tive tastes, and served in cider
hoops. After healing the soil that
flights, by the glass or for select
had been abused beginning with
purchase in bottles or growlers.
overplanting tobacco more than a
Open on weekends, you’ll find
century ago—a process that took
friends and families relaxing and
them over three years—the Doc
enjoying the latest artisan ciders
Waters Cidery, named after Wash’s
while kids roast hotdogs and
great great grandfather, was born.
s’mores over the fire pit. The scene
The family roots go deep on
is family pooch friendly, too.
the land. Four generations ago
“I fell in love with this place as
Wash’s family
soon as we moved
owned a couple
here,” says Wash-
“We like to say this we
of thousand acres
ington White,
are
the
most
beautiful
apple
including the land
co-owner with his
wife Susan Butler.
orchard in all of Montgomery the farm now
sits on. Susan is
“It’s nice to do
County
or
even
all
of
Mary-
a Butler of the
what we’re doing
Butler’s Orchard
here to keep the
land. When here you have
family and has
farm in the family
no
idea
you’re
25
miles
been an avid
and to share it
with everyone.
outside of Washington, DC. apple grower her
whole life; Wash,
The Cidery makes
-Susan
Butler
an organic farmer
that happen.”
for decades. “My
Turns out that
grandfather
was
the head horti-
Wash, the shortened version he
culturist of the Washington, DC
goes by, and Susan grew up a mile
Parks. He’s taught me everything
and a half from each other. They
you can think of about cover crops
knew one another slightly and
and mulch, from peanut shells
had mutual friends. But it wasn’t
and corncobs, to straw and wood
until twelve years ago, after a dash
chips,” reminisces Wash. The wood
of serendipity, common lifelong
chips have proven invaluable in
dreams to own a farm, and some
restoring the land and developing
fortunate timing, that they mar-
excellent soil for the trees.
ried and shortly thereafter bought
Joelle Burbank, part orchard
Wash’s family farm in 2011. Their
manager, part willing-to-try-
mutual love for apple growing
anything person, designated
sparked the determination to
welder and passionate advocate
create Waters Orchard, which
for the orchards got a lesson in soil
now includes a pick-your-own
management early on. “ I live a mile
operation.
down the road and when I tried to
Taking it to another level,
grow a garden in my yard, I hit all
Wash and Susan dove deep in to
this dense red clay. So I came here
the handcrafted cider world. They
plenty I autumn harvest 2019
19