Carr’s Ciderhouse
at Preservation Orchard
Traditional New England Cider Goods
We make our hard ciders, vinegars, syrups, shrubs, and other fruity goods the traditional way- high quality fruit, slow fermentation, very small batches, and a lot of care.
Our online shop carries many of our non-alcoholic products that we can ship anywhere in the country. Place an order and get cooking! From May through November, visit us at the home farm Cider Garden to enjoy a glass of natural hard cider under the shade of the chestnut trees.
Cider Garden
Open May 15 - November 8
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday 12pm - 7pm
295 River Drive Hadley, MA 01035
413-336-7363
Get Directions
Our outdoor Cider Garden is a place to come relax with friends and family under the shade of the Chestnut trees while enjoying a glass of our natural hard cider, handmade sodas and shrubs, and snacks! The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming , like a backyard party - which is pretty much the reality, except it’s our front yard. And, don’t be surprised if you meet some nice new people. We welcome dogs that can handle being in eye and nose shot of goats (most handle it beautifully).
Food: Grab a bag of freshly popped, locally grown, and unsprayed popcorn; choose from an array of local cheeses and crackers; load up with Preservation Farm no-till & organic seasonal produce - make your own picnic from our offerings or bring in food to enjoy with the drinks we’re pouring (but, please don't bring outside drinks).
Speaking of food, do we have great news! We are so excited to welcome Augustine’s Pizza Club back. They’ll be firing up their gorgeous wood fired oven all weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) for the 2026 season and serving up the BEST pizza you may have ever eaten. In the autumn, you can also order up a cup of freshly roasted chestnuts - the perfect cider snack!
Because we are 100% outdoors, we suggest you check our social media if the weather is iffy to make sure we’re open. We close for inclement weather.
Farmstand
Open Everyday 9am - 7pm
295 River Drive Hadley, MA 01035
413-336-7363
Get Directions
Our farmstand represents the collaboration of fruit and nut growing, silvopasture with hens, poultry, and lamb, and no-till veggies on our hillside farm and orchard on Mount Warner in Hadley, MA. There are three farm businesses on the land and you can purchase what we grow and make right here.
Carr’s Ciderhouse of Preservation Orchard grows fruit and nuts and makes an array of hard ciders, vinegars, vinegar shrubs (aka drinking vinegars), syrups, jams & jellies. We sell berries and other small fruits fresh by the pint, and in the fall you can find fresh chestnuts by the pound (and as our other nut trees mature, there will also be heartnuts and hazelnuts).
Preservation Farm run by Ava Blum-Carr (our daughter) & Joe Manning - grow no-till organic vegetables and flowers for the farmstand, local farmer’s markets and small restaurants and grocers. Expect interesting varieties chosen for their flavor and beauty, with the highest standards in freshness and quality. Ava should write this part!
Meadowfed Lamb is run by Rachel Haas and Matt Kaminsky beautifully manage silvopastures on Preservation Orchard where their sheep strip graze fresh pasture in the tree rows (that’s what silvopasture is) and then the chickens follow in their path. In the farmstand, you will find cuts of frozen lamb, pasture-raised chicken & eggs, and wool sponges. Check out @meadowfedlamb on Instagram for a beautiful look into the lives of these deeply cared for animals. They also have the most incredible Finn sheep yarn, both natural colors and naturally plant dyed, upon request.
About
We are Nicole & Jonathan, a wife and husband team who bought this beautiful piece of protected agricultural land in 2003 with the intention of growing no-spray apples for traditional hard cider. Calling this home is still a completely incredible thing for us - our appreciation for and commitment to this place grows by the season. We started planting apples in 2005 and began harvesting and cider making in 2012.
Though most know us by our cider brand, Carr’s Ciderhouse, we also want to introduce you to this place where we grow fruit and nuts, hay, and other experimental crops - Preservation Orchard & Farm. We are committed to preserving (and rediscovering) the traditional foodways of this area, preserving farmland, and preserving the balance of our ecosystem by never spraying, minimally mowing, practicing silvopasture with goats and sheep, and planting lots and lots of trees! We are located on the northwest slope of Mt. Warner in Massachusetts, overlooking the breathtakingly beautiful Connecticut River valley.
Preservation Collaborative
Carr’s Ciderhouse, Meadowfed Lamb, and Preservation Farm
How we grow
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We manage our orchards and plantings without pesticides or herbicides. An important part of our orchard work is spent trialling and breeding delicious new and traditional cultivars of naturally pest- and disease-resistant apples and pears for cider-making. Climate change will make agriculture increasingly challenging, and we need robust cultivars that are up for the good fight.
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We grow a broad array of fruits, nuts, berries and other crops selected for their ability to thrive and bear well without chemical inputs: Chinese chestnuts, Japanese heartnuts, native persimmons, blackberries, mulberries, raspberries, native hazels, currants, pears, apples, peaches, and more.
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Jolly laying hens and their guardian dogs - tended by our co-farmers Rachel and Matt of MeadowFed Lamb - visit almost every corner of the orchard, adding fertility in precise doses and living their best lives. Beautiful Finn sheep rotationally graze under the orchard trees and through hay fields, stimulating rich and fertile regrowth!
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Between and around the cultivated areas of fruit and nut orchards, vegetable rows, hayfields and pastures, we leave acres of pollinator and wildlife reserves, where goldenrod, asters, native bees, and bluebirds thrive. Edge species such as sassafras, viburnum, hawthorn, and dogwood provide sustenance for songbirds.
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We farm with our family and our dear friends, while growing food and drink for our local community. We craft delicious beverages and serve them to our wonderful customers in the open-air Cider Garden, a gathering spot where all are welcome to quench their thirst while visiting the goats and making little piles of gravel on the barrels.
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Our apple trees yield an interesting selection of hard cider apples such as Golden Russet, Hyslop Crabapple, Winesap, Baldwin, Goldrush, and Virginia Crabapple – cultivars that add a tremendous amount of complexity and richness to our ciders. We also use wild apples, foraged by Gnarly Pippins (AKA Matt), for a special cider blend and are researching use of wild varieties in cultivated orchards.
Press
The New York Times
Many More Uses for Cider
Fine Cooking
Great Finds: Carr’s Ciderhouse Cider Syrup
The Wall Street Journal
The Off-Duty 50: A Guide to Fall’s Best
Town & Country
Apple Cider Syrup Turns Out To Be The Perfect Fall Flavor
Food & Wine
The Best Oil and Vinegar Pairings
Boston Globe
Cider Syrup has a single local ingredient: Apples
Refinery 29
10 Apple Cider Products For When You’re Ready For Fall To Be Here Already
Country Living Magazine
Country Living Magazine’s 2016 Guide to Eating
Boston Magazine
The 12 New England Cideries to Visit This Fall
