Sunday is my first Mother’s Day. While I fully expect to be effortlessly doted on by my baby and husband, I also acknowledge and honor my own mother on this day, the mothers of our Cidercraft family and the moms of the cider industry. From maternal roles to parenting advice, working moms and moms who put their kids to work on the orchard, we salute you. We asked a few cider-producing mothers to share what motherhood means to them and what they are drinking to toast to their own mothers.
Stephanie Carson
Owner, Gyspy Circus Cider
What does being a mother mean to you?
“Motherhood to me is the gift of creating humans and giving them at least some of the knowledge you’ve gained over the years, and then watching how they grow and develop into their own personalities. Seeing the world through their eyes is magical. The self-reflection that comes from being a mother is like no other. It’s healing and scary at the same time.”
What cider/drink would you use to toast your own mother and mothers of the beverage industry?
“I would toast with our Single Origin Arkansas Black we just released a few weeks ago. I love dry, wine-like ciders, and this fits the bill. My toast would be a heavy pour, because we all deserve it right now as we are home with kids, juggling work and home school.”
Talia Haykin
Owner/CMO, Haykin Family Cider
What does being a mother mean to you?
“Being a mother, to me, is about modeling how to be a good and productive person for my tiny people. My husband and I often discuss work at the dinner table and our almost 5-year-old son always wants to be involved in the conversation and engages with us. Family is in our business name and it couldn’t be more accurate. Our daughter was born six days after we opened and our son was convinced his name was David Haykin Family Cider. I realize that with everything I do, they learn from me how to function in our world.”
What cider/drink would you use to toast your own mother and mothers of the beverage industry?
“Right now, in the current state… with all our kids home? I’m toasting everyone with a nice strong gin and soda but since it’s warming up, I’ll meet all the moms on the patio with a bottle of our Ashmead’s Kernel single varietal cider.”
Amie Fields
Partner, Botanist & Barrel
What does being a mother mean to you?
“For me being a mother means long, but meaningful days. It’s about living in the moment with your children and their innocence. Feeling like I never have enough time with my kids or too much time with my kids at any given moment. Giggles and hugs to make up for the trying times. All the joy and no fun.”
What cider/drink would you use to toast your own mother and mothers of the beverage industry?
“I would toast my mom with Grapes have Feelings, our first cider wine hybrid that is serious yet playful and brings me great joy. It merges two things that I love — cider and wine — to make something completely new and yet familiar at the same time. It reminds me when I first became a mother and had to figure out balancing my individuality while putting my children first. It feels amazing to toast other beverage industry moms with something that I helped create that brings people happiness. Grapes have Feelings is grounded with a sense of place. It’s made with a blend of barrel-aged North Carolina Muscadines and apples aged separately but blended together until each one makes the other shine.”
Brooke Glover
Co-founder, Swilled Dog Hard Cider
What does being a mother mean to you?
“Everything. It has been the hardest, most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I learn every single day and am constantly making sure everything else in my life aligns with my priorities as a mom.”
What cider/drink would you use to toast your own mother and mothers of the beverage industry?
“Beverage I’d use to toast my own mom and other moms in the industry: our WV Scrumpy. I chose this cider because it’s literally the best cider I’ve ever had and I selfishly want to drink it. It’s made from donated apples from all around the state of West Virginia and every year 100% of sales proceeds go to help out a cause we are passionate about. This year we are donating an apple tree to West Virginia farmers for every bottle sold.”
Christine Walter
Owner, Bauman’s Cider
What does being a mother mean to you?
“To me, being a mom is all about modeling. Good behaviors or bad, our children see them all. The way we respond to failures and wins, it all goes right into their little heads and hearts. I know that gets pretty big, pretty fast, and is a lot of responsibility. Each child will filter that input differently — an action that is terrifying that one child witnesses and thinks, ‘I would never do that!’, your second born will say, ‘well, if she can do it, then so can I!’ Simply put, our jobs as Mom is to be the bravest and the humblest and best advocate for the unheard (especially when that person is us or our children!) Not too much pressure, right?”
What cider/drink would you use to toast your own mother and mothers of the beverage industry?
“My own personal bias on this one: something pink and with bubbles! Certainly not pink in the sense of normative gender structures, but pink as in blushing and laughing and a little sun on your cheeks. The pink of new apple blossoms and the warming of spring trilliums. And bubbles because they make you slow down just a bit and feel the moment. Cheers to moms everywhere, and in the industry, because we work so hard and we deserve to sit back and enjoy the feeling of bubbles popping!”
Rebecca Spears
VP Marketing, Locust Cider
What does being a mother mean to you?
“I think it is all about unconditional love and allowing your children to become the best versions of themselves. It is hard to not want to overprotect and guide them there. Instead you have to give them room to become the people they want to become. Most of all though, the profound unconditional love they show me even when things get rough is beyond anything I could have imagined before I became a mom.”
What cider/drink would you use to toast your own mother and mothers of the beverage industry?
“Definitely our Mojito cider. It is the perfect refreshing, springtime beverage that my mom and I have enjoyed together during Mother’s Days of the past! Cheers to all of the moms out there!”
Nicole Ward
Owner, Eastman’s Forgotten Ciders
What does being a mother mean to you?
“Being a mother means I’m able to show my daughters how to change, challenge and cheer for themselves, on a daily basis. It means I can give them the best parts of me, and hope they don’t get the worst. It means we can do hard things, but we can be kind. It means everything, all the time.”
What cider/drink would you use to toast your own mother and mothers of the beverage industry?
“I would use our Mad Russian — it’s a family favorite and such a cool unique cider!”
