Cider Chat

Neil MacDonald is a self described “man of the soil”. He co-launched Orchard Pig Cider in 2004. His specialty is apple growing and the primary process of the cidermaking at Orchard Pig Cider. This recording was taped with Neil at CiderCon 2016 in Portland Oregon. Neil MacDonald, Orchard Park Farms and Orchard Pig Cider The Path to the Orchard Pig Cider Neil was granted a scholarship from the Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust which has helped him hone in on his apple growing passion and helped him travel around the world.  Neil uses what is a called a “Bush Orchard” in the UK, which works well with the mechanics of harvesting within high density orchards for a maximum harvest. What is a bush tree? Free standing root stock. A 111, 106, or M25. Neil’s farm is currently doing some trials with an A2, B118, P18 root stock. Anything smaller than a 111 or 106 are not strong enough to handle the mechanical harvesting. The trees are growing 18 feet tall….And they join up like a high hedge. The width of the row i