Last night ended with just me, Rachael, and Pete Lynn (one of the founders of Winn Hill Cider)—who happened to be the last person in the pub. We got talking.
Pete ran through the year of a cider maker: winter pruning and planning, spring grafting and blossom, a steady summer in the shop, and the busy autumn press. He outlined the basics of planting an orchard—picking rootstock, laying out the rows, and waiting the years it takes for the trees to settle in. He also talked about the practical headaches of harvesting perry pears—awkward fruit, tight timing, and the effort needed to press them well.
Pete’s no longer at Winn Hill. The cidery is now in Mark and Lisa’s capable hands.
Somewhere in there, Pete had a pint of Sweet Winn Hill Cider. So did we. A simple, unplanned conversation to end the night.
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