Another new venture in the works is the acquisition of the 100-acre Doc Waters Cidery and apple orchard just up the road , created by Aunt Susan and her husband Washington White in their retirement years . The first cidery in Montgomery County , Doc Waters makes ciders from apples grown right on the property , and hosts apple picking in the Fall . Visitors can choose from picnic tables or reserve igloos and firepits in cool months . The young Butlers bought the cidery in late 2021 , and are currently working with the County to sell the cider at the Butler ’ s Farm Market , which requires special permitting because of its alcohol content . They weren ’ t expecting to make such an investment at this point , but embraced the opportunity when it presented itself . Susan passed away in January 2022 from cancer , and Hallie explains “… we wanted to protect her legacy and keep it going in her memory , and we also loved the idea .” Tyler offered the perspective “ our parents encouraged us to always move forward . They said if you ’ re not growing and changing , you ’ re standing still or moving backwards .” They stressed that their kids should experiment and try new things , and to understand that “ failure helps you learn and grow .”
Branching Out
Wade and Angela Butler ’ s three children bring seemingly limitless energy and a heaping dose of enthusiasm to the business . The farm benefits from their respect for its history and tradition , combined with a drive to constantly innovate and adapt . For example , during the early lock-down days of Covid , they established a drivethrough , curbside pick-up system with online ordering within a week , and did not lay off a single employee . 2020 became a banner year for the farm as people looked for ways to support local businesses and enjoy being outdoors .
The current custodians of this iconic farm have a long-time , baked-in understanding of what it takes to be a farmer , yet they bring fresh energy and novel approaches that keep customers coming back . Tyler is General Manager and the primary face of the farm on social media . Hallie Butler Van-Horn is the Hiring and Purchasing Manager who keeps the Farm Market store creatively supplied , and Ben serves in the critical role of Farm and Finance Manager . Tyler and Ben earned degrees in horticulture at University of Maryland like their grandfather , parents , aunt and uncle before them and soon after went into the family business , while Hallie gained valuable experience working in retail management with Lowe ’ s and Dick ’ s Sporting Goods . When their Uncle Todd died she returned to the family business to fill the gap left in managing the farm market .
As they have honored the hard work and traditions of those who laid the groundwork , they ’ ve expanded it above and beyond what their grandparents , and perhaps even their parents , aunts and uncles could have imagined . Talking with Wade , his humble pride in his children ’ s accomplishments is clear . He also looks back with appreciation for his wife Angela ’ s role in making it all possible by backstopping everyone through-
From the top : Zinnias are among many flowers that bloom in the pick-yourown flower fields ; kids of all ages enjoy the Super Slides ; Butler ’ s berry and fruit picking season stretches from May through October .
plenty I autumn harvest 2023 15