Pine Hill Orchard — Local services in Colrain

Went to Pine Hill Orchards for the first time as part of the annual Cider Days celebration. I discovered this family-owned business is one of the larger cider pressers (mostly wholesale sales) in the area. I went for the apple pruning demo, conducted by one of the principals that completely sold me on the pride and sincerity of their craft.

I've made wine before, but never cider. When I saw that they had made available four cider apple blends for Cider Days, I bought 5 gallons of their cider specifically to ferment to hard cider. These blends are virtually unavailable to anyone without a home orchard or deep cider connections. There were samples of the four blends to try before purchasing.

The blend I purchased 50% Redfield and 50% Golden Russet just caught my eye. Golden Russet makes a Champagne-like beverage and Redfield is darker with more robust flavor. I though this would make a good combo, so wish me luck in the crafting of my blend.

They also had some wonderful pies and were taking orders for Thanksgiving. I should have bought one.

This place is off the beaten track. You should go here to support local family owned businesses that take great pride in their efforts to produce top quality food products....

The store was great! Lots to choose from. However, the rabbits are in such poor condition. They barley have room to roam, their nails are curled and WAY too long (so long that one of the rabbits nose was raw and torn from cleaning its face), no enrichment (such as chew toys), and they are on wire which can cause bumble foot in rabbits that is painful and can be deadly if not treated. This is not proper care for a rabbit, and NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. If the farm does not want to take care of them, there are plenty of shelters, sanctuaries, and rescues that will gladly take them....

Friendly, helpful staff, delicious apple cider, cider donuts, corned beef hash, cider donut bread pudding, breads, pies, pastries, and of course fresh apples! Really great beer, cider, and mead selection, too! Monique is often behind the cashier's counter, and provides welcoming, high quality customer service. Updated 17th October 2023: Though I miss the cafe/restaurant, Pine Hill continues to deliver delicious, mostly local produce and foods, with a good selection of beverages and...