Eve’s Cidery

By David Durrett – a current intern at GreenStar Food Co+op, David Durrett is a lifelong resident of Ithaca as well as a graduate of Ithaca College. He is a freelance reporter whose work has also appeared in Tompkins Weekly and The Ithaca Voice, among other publications. 

Eve’s Cidery co-owned by Ezra Sherman and his wife Autumn Stoscheck, produces alcoholic cider from organic fruit from their orchard, as well as wild-foraged apples and pears.

The business started in Newfield in 2000. Around this time, Autumn became interested in cider-making and traveled to England to take a class on the subject. Following her experience in England, she planted European cider varieties of apple trees in Van Etten.

Eve’s Cidery makes cider from apples grown at three orchards in Van Etten, as well as their partner’s orchard in Newfield. According to Ezra, cider manufacturers who harvest their own apples can control variables that impact the quality of the cider, such as how the fruit is grown and when it is harvested.

“We wanted to be able to make cider from fruit that we thought was great,” Ezra said, “and really, we’re kind of as interested in farming as we are in cider.”

Autumn and Ezra initially grew apples through conventional non-organic methods, but eventually switched to growing them organically. He is passionate about farming and finds the process of growing his own apples fulfilling.

“I love being outside,” Ezra said. “I like the cycle of the seasons I think we love working with trees. There’s a very satisfying feedback loop, sort of, where you take a rootstock and you graft a variety on it and you plant it, and you see it grow, and you prune it certain ways and you protect it from pests, and six year down the road, you’re getting apples from this tree that you’ve started and maintained and you’re making cider from it. I guess there’s something very satisfying from it.”

Ezra said he enjoys working outside, especially seeing the different light in the mornings and evenings. He expressed an appreciation for how farming requires a certain inventiveness to succeed, how every day is different, and the idea that he might leave behind a legacy for future generations.

In 2006, Ezra and Autumn renovated a barn in Newfield, wanting a cidery near their orchard but unable to afford to have one built. They were able to buy the barn without paying too much for it, although they had to invest a significant amount for the renovation.

Eve’s Cidery products are sold in several different states through a distributor. Tastings are available by reservation, and the business offers a cider subscription offering members three or six bottles of cider four times a year. There is a limit of 10 customers per tasting, so that Ezra and the others from the cidery can give personal attention to each person.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Ezra and the others who work for Eve’s Cidery have worn masks at work. Tastings are held outside only, and if the weather prevents them from being held outside, they are held inside, with ample space between tables and the option for tasters to back out if they are uncomfortable with indoor events.

Eve’s Cidery has sold their products at GreenStar since the Co-op began selling alcohol. Ezra said he enjoys selling there, as that he earns more per sale at the Co-op than through a distributor and Eve’s Cidery is a good match for GreenStar.

“My point with GreenStar, I think in the beginning, was that we completely fit with the GreenStar’s model,” Ezra said. “First of all, we’ve been members forever, but also, we grow our own apples or pears, we’re local, we grow organically, we’re a small business, and we make cider ourselves. So I think we’re very consistent with the GreenStar model of supporting local farmers, supporting organic in particular.”

Eve’s Cidery is small, and usually, Ezra and Autumn are its sole full-time employees.

“We actually don’t want to be very big,” Ezra said. “We actually want to be at a size where we do most of the work.”

However, Eve’s Cidery does sometimes bring on farm interns.t. Ezra said he is excited about young farmers who bring new energy to farming, as well as new ideas.

“I think if you have a dream, you should just pursue it,” Ezra said.