#183 The Only Game in Town? - Orion Bellorado / Ian McGregor, Farmstead Cider

Meaningful Marketplace Podcast

"It’s snowing in Wyoming so according to Melissa Hemken, that means springtime. The latest business news from Melissa is a series of statewide startup challenges for entrepreneurs and two of the four winners in her area were food businesses. Part of that strong Wyoming food business culture is our guest today, Ian McGregor, co-founder of Farmstead Cider. Are they the one and only Wyoming hard cider company? Ian says they are definitely the loudest and possibly the only one. He also hopes there will be more as it is good to have a community with common interests and a place to share best practices. The impetus for the company is not the usual story. Ian and co-founder Orion Bellorado sold pies at farmers markets in the summer just for fun. Then Ian spent time in the Napa Valley, California working in the wine industry before returning to Wyoming. Since he and Orion enjoyed working together, they started brainstorming ideas. Wine making was not practical, as grapes wouldn’t survive the Wyoming climate. They never considered apples as the only ones they had ever noticed were the small crab apples. Then the light dawned on Ian as he noticed – for the first time – the abundance of apple trees in Jackson Hole. Once they decided on cider as a business and since the trees were planted by homesteaders, Farmstead Cider became the name. Then they randomly had a dinner party where a bear biologist was a guest. When questioned by the biologist about their business and how they were harvesting apples, Ian and Orion were told there was a problem in the area: Bears getting into the many apple trees of the residents. The biologist went on to say there was a wildlife budget to address the problem, and if Ian and Orion could use the money to harvest more apples, the bear predicament could be alleviated. Seeing their business could remove the living space conflict between people and bears while creating a valuable business as well, the company took off with their memorable moto: Save Bears. Drink Cider. On their website, anyone in their local area can add their apple trees to their map and give permission for the company to enter their property and harvest their apples, removing the enticing draw for the local bear community. Ian’s time in the wine industry was invaluable, as they discovered tannins and other properties of the crab apples that created delicious and unique tastes. The apple’s properties come from the ancient glacial soils, extreme sun, and cool nights all combine to make Wyoming a fantastic place to grow, harvest, and taste unique cider apple varieties including the high-tannin crab apples. Having rediscovered forgotten 150+ year old apple trees and planting new orchards, the founders are teaching people about high altitude farming along the way. Ian and Orion also take a small batch approach to cider-making. Wild fermenting slowly at cold temperatures and allowing the ciders to age in oak barrels mellows out the high acidity and tannins of crab apples. The result is a hard cider that’s smooth, dry, and full of flavor. Farmstead Cider is also the first commercial
cidery in Wyoming in over 100 years. Ian’s time in the wine industry also shows through in the labeling of the hard ciders. Their bottles and labels mirror upscale wine bottles and the company has enjoyed winning awards with some of their varieties. You can join one of their clubs. Farmstead Cider Clubs offer a range of special releases and classic ciders. Cider shipments are automatically sent at a discount, four times per year: February, May, August, and November. Each shipment features two to four cider selections chosen by our cider makers, with the rest chose by the member. You also can shop at their store the next time you’re in Jackson Hole, or order online at their website: https://farmsteadwyo.com/, they ship to all 50 states. Follow them on IG: @farmsteadcider. Our hosts: Twitter - @sarahmasoni and @spicymarshall, Instagram - @masoniandmarshall."

Thank you for Listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall, owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast.

Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers
Show logo was designed by Anton Kimball of Kimball Design
Production Coordinator: Kayleen Veatch