![Local spirits the perfect remedy for a cold winter’s night](https://millertonnews.com/media-library/shady-knoll-orchards-distillery-manager-andrew-richards-left-and-owner-rick-kneipper-toasted-to-their-success-in-produci.jpg?id=48204789&width=980&quality=90)
Shady Knoll Orchards & Distillery manager Andrew Richards, left, and owner Rick Kneipper toasted to their success in producing apple brandy, Pommeau and whiskey. Photo submitted
MILLBROOK — The Millbrook community is known for its pastoral scenery, horse and dairy farms, fresh produce and local wines. But one well-kept secret is Shady Knoll Orchards & Distillery, LLC, which produces apple brandy, a brandy and cider mixture called Pommeau and a fine rye whiskey.
The distillery was a dream that was a long time coming. Rick Kneipper, a corporate lawyer, decided to buy a farm back in 1980, primarily as a vacation home for his family. But a fondness for Calvados, an apple brandy made in Normandy, planted the seed — literally. Between then and 2016 when he started the business, his family lived in New York, Florida, Wisconsin and then settled in Texas.
Kneipper had spent 15 years in technology and health services, but now he’s the CEO and manager of Shady Knoll Orchards & Distillery. He decided at one point the time was right to follow the family tradition (his grandfather was a dairy farmer) and decided to grow apples at the farm, which was originally settled in the late 1700s.
Having dreamed about taking the leap for years, he had already visited orchards and distilleries in the U.S. and around the world, learning the basics of growing, distilling and production. His enthusiasm rubbed off on his son-in-law, Andrew Richards, so when the time came to get down to business, he had a willing and ready manager. They broke ground on June 5, 2015, the same day Richards made the farm his home.
“Shady Knoll Orchards & Distillery is a unique breed — a family farm distillery where Andrew Richards, my son-in-law, and I raise the apples and rye used to make our handcrafted spirits,” Kneipper said.
Rightfully proud, he added, “We do 100% of all processing, fermenting, distilling, barrel-aging and bottling ourselves. We grow over 120 varieties of apples that we use to make our apple brandy and Pommeau.”
The distillery boasts a charming tasting house, and pre-COVID it held tours and tastings, one of Kneipper’s favorite things to do as he likes interacting with visitors and explaining the entire process. It may seem a charmed existence, but there is plenty of hard work attached to it.
August through November the apples are picked and packed; they sit until June, when they are pressed into hard cider. Although the work could be shouldered by many, each year it is done by only Kneipper, Richards and one other who is hired through Grace Church. The trees are small, Kneipper assured this reporter, just 6 to 7 feet tall.
The bottling process takes place in December; and the whiskey is made from winter to May. The still doesn’t operate during the summer, which is a time for weeding, mowing and putting the 1964 vintage harvester to use.
One field is given over to a friend and neighbor, Clear View Farm, while two other fields are used as a pasture for black Angus cows belonging to another friend, Ed Kading. The leftover mash from the apples after they are pressed is given to the cows, who “come running” for it, said Richards.
The spirits are sold in Texas and New York by roughly 20 retailers in each state. Locally, Village Wine and Spirits in Millbrook carries all three items, and according to a worker in the shop, Brian Spaeth, all are delicious. The Pommeau, a mixture of apple cider and apple brandy, has only 17% alcohol and is slightly sweeter than the brandy. The apple brandy is 80% proof (40% alcohol) and is aromatic. Spaeth said it’s a great drink to sip in front of a fire on a winter’s night. The whiskey he described as “very smooth.”
All are carefully prepared, perfectly aged, stored and made in small batches. The other grains used to make the whiskey, corn and barley, are locally grown and harvested from nearby farms.
Kneipper said he’s been using extra down-time since the COVID pandemic to experiment, perfect and enhance their products.
“Shady Knoll is starting to show spirit drinkers that raising our own crops on our farm creates unique Hudson Valley terroir in our spirits, and local terroir is starting to be recognized as just as important in spirits as it is in wines,” he said.
Shady Knoll Orchards & Distillery is currently open for tours and tastings, by appointment only, due to the pandemic.
The distillery is hoping that post COVID, it will become a favorite destination for both locals and visitors as there is so much to see: the distillery, the granary, a French alembic Charente’s pot still, a silo and a variety of other distilling equipment, not to mention the tasting house to savor the fresh apples, and perhaps some smooth whiskey as well. Located at 27 Brush Hill Road, go to www.shadyknolldistillery.com for more information.
MILLERTON — Millerton’s Police Department has requested more funding for its firearm budget.
“The county is switching over to different firearms, and we could possibly piggyback onto that as well, without any cost to the village of Millerton,” said Joseph Olenik, Chief of Police.
Millerton’s police department is currently staffed by seven officers, including Olenik, who have to provide their own firearms and equipment. They get paid $26 or $26.50 an hour, and Olenik said that purchasing a firearm and a gun belt can cost one officer around $1,200.
When a personal weapon is being used by an active officer, it becomes more difficult to take away than a provided weapon.
“It is better when it is a town-issued weapon, and we have more control over it,” Olenik said. “So I asked the district attorney if there are any funds possible or some type of grant to get the weapons purchased through the town… and he is working on it.”
Personal guns have to be authorized by the chief and the firearms officer, checked twice a year, and qualified twice a year. All guns must be approved to be carried and used while on duty, and if they do not pass, the officer is not allowed to carry them. The chief hopes to receive $8,000 or $9,000 to help aid officers with firearms and avoid potential future issues.
“I think the department purchasing the weapons is essential,” Olenik said. “No one should use their own personal weapons.”
Riley Moriarty
Of thousands who attempt to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, only one in four make it.
The AT, completed in 1937, runs over roughly 2,200 miles, from Springer Mountain in Georgia’s Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest to Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park of Maine.
While a thru hike often begins as a solitary pursuit, hikers weave into one another’s lives on the journey. Hikers Liam Hickes, James Outlaw, Jackson O’Brasky, and Riley Moriarty – Hero, Outlaw, Rabbi, and White Claw as they are known on the trail – were strangers back in March but have now traveled together for months.
Great Falls, Falls Village.Provided
Before the trail, Moriarty – originally from Columbia, South Carolina – worked as a carpenter and lived in a yurt in Asheville, North Carolina. He went on a weekend long camping trip with friends and dreamed of a longer excursion in the woods.
Outlaw too craved adventure. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, he had hiked sections of the AT with his dad and always wanted to do the full trek. While working at a food truck in Boone, North Carolina, he decided to commit to the challenge.
Hickes is also from Atlanta and had no idea the AT started in Georgia until reading author Andy M. Davidson’s book “When Sunday Smiled.” Inspired by the story of a retired Navy officer, he began to plan his own journey. Following service in the Marine Corps, he got on the trail as early as possible, hoping to be surrounded by fellow hikers.
O’Brasky spent much of his life among crowds in the cities of Hartford and New York City and sought the wilderness as an escape. A painter by trade, he applied for the Elizabeth Greenshields Grant with a proposal to hike the AT. After losing his job, O’Brasky received the grant and embarked on this six-month quest.
James OutlawProvided
Life on the trail can be monotonous. “People romanticize thru hiking, but it’s important to remember that it’s just walking,” said Outlaw. A night of burgers, beer, and civilization is sure to lift spirits and remedy the backcountry blues.
But mostly the hikers enjoy settling into the steady rhythm of a slower, quieter existence: taking siestas on hot days, letting thoughts wander, and gradually moving forward. “I get bored very easily, and I really have not been bored often out here,” said O’Brasky.
Throughout the journey, these individuals have confronted wildlife, weather, and rugged terrain: praying not to flip while rafting down the Shenandoah River, laughing in delirium through a North Carolina snowstorm, befriending wild ponies, and soaking up stories of strange characters they meet.
Jackson O'BraskyProvided
When the trail tests their resilience, they manage to sustain a gentle hum of optimism. A moment of sunshine can erase all recollection of the storm that soaked their belongings.
With everything they need in their packs – tents, sleeping bags, three days’ worth of food – they are not tied to societal expectations or any physical place. Each roams freely and independently, deciding when to push and when to rest, but they camp together almost every night. Comradery makes the undertaking less daunting and memories more meaningful. “Being around others who want the same thing I want enhances everything,” said Hickes.
Liam HickesProvided
Chipping away at this objective bestows a rewarding sense of accomplishment. “It’s always a big deal,” said Moriarty, “30 miles was a big deal. 100 miles was a big deal. I was really impressed with myself. Now it’s 1500, but it’s the same kind of feeling.”
As they approach Katahdin, minds wander to life post-trail. Hickes plans to start school in Louisiana with friends, while O’Brasky is unsure whether he will stay in New York City. Moriarty is considering joining the Coast Guard (though first he must figure out exactly what they do) and Outlaw is looking forward to a potential move to Colorado.
While they will put down their packs — at least temporarily — these men will carry willingness to be uncomfortable and determination to persevere wherever they go.
The clambake returns to SWSA's Satre Hill July 27 to support the Jane Lloyd Fund.
The 17th Annual Traditional New England Clambake, sponsored by NBT Bank and benefiting the Jane Lloyd Fund, is set for Saturday, July 27, transforming the Salisbury Winter Sports Association’s Satre Hill into a cornucopia of mouthwatering food, live music, and community spirit.
The Jane Lloyd Fund, now in its 19th year, is administered by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and helps families battling cancer with day-to-day living expenses. Tanya Tedder, who serves on the fund’s small advisory board, was instrumental in the forming of the organization. After Jane Lloyd passed away in 2005 after an eight-year battle with cancer, the family asked Tedder to help start the foundation. “I was struggling myself with some loss,” said Tedder. “You know, you get in that spot, and you don’t know what to do with yourself. Someone once said to me, ‘Grief is just love with no place to go.’ I was absolutely thrilled to be asked and thrilled to jump into a mission that was so meaningful for the community.”
Disbursements from the fund are made upon the written recommendation of a social service agent, town social worker, hospice care provider, visiting nurse, counselor, or pastor. These funds must be used for day-to-day expenses such as mortgage, rent, insurance, utilities, heating oil, car payments, and transportation to and from doctor appointments or cancer treatment appointments. “We’ve never turned anyone away,” said Tedder. “We have had to ask people to wait a little bit, but we have never said no, which in 19 years is amazing.”
Behind the scenes of the clambake, a team of 75 dedicated volunteers help make the event happen. Even getting the seafood from Fitchburg, Mass., to Salisbury is a journey all its own. “We meet up at the Mass Pike and do the switch,” Tedder explained. “We clean the clams and bag them...all with volunteers from the community.” Because of the generous sponsors and volunteers, all the money raised is donated. “Like the lady who does the flowers for the event,” said Tedder. “She decorates the tables and the tents, and she goes to Salisbury Garden Center, and they say, ‘Take what you need and bring it back when you’re done.’ It’s wonderful that everyone knows what we do and why we’re doing what we’re doing — it’s for such a good cause and there’s such a big need.”
The clambake meal tickets are your golden key to this feast, but fear not if seafood isn’t your thing. There will be a variety of options, including hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, clam chowder, and vegetarian options. And let’s not forget the dessert table of community-contributed delights, and an ice cream experience that promises to satisfy any sweet tooth. There will also be live music at The Music Circle with Eliot Osborn and Friends of The Joint Chiefs.
The actual clambake is quite the spectacle. Said Tedder, “The guys build a kiln out of wood with river rocks in the middle. They light it on fire until the rocks get really, really hot. Then they pull away the wood, cover the hot rocks with seaweed, and put bags of corn, clams, potatoes, and lobsters on top. It’s covered with large wet tarps and steams for about 40 minutes. After that, we have four teams of servers who serve 350 people.”
Tedder shared that her favorite part of the event is getting up to thank everyone. “It’s nerve-wracking, but it comes from my heart,” she said. “The most meaningful thing is that I get to read notes from people that have written in to say thank you and what it’s meant to them. It’s heart-wrenching in such a positive way because they say things like, ‘I wasn’t going to live and the Jane Lloyd Fund gave me hope, it gave me a reason to live.’ It’s incredible how deeply we touch someone’s life.”
For more information and tickets, go to www.thejanelloydfund.org