As extreme weather events become increasingly common, how will apples fare? Will the taste of cider evolve? We return to the labs at Cornell University to get a crash course from our favorite pomologist in apple genetics, biodiversity, and climate change. Find out how studying (and growing) historic apple varieties can change the future of the cider industry and tune in for a conversation about the importance of preserving cherished aspects of apple culture. Plus, we’ll look at co-ferments, food pairings, and how drinkers are connecting with the land around them.

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North America was home to apples long before Europeans - or cider - reached its shores. Malus fusca, or the Pacific crabapple, is native to the continent and there’s a rich history and contemporary culture surrounding the variety to explore. We’ll look at how the apple has been and is still used by Indigenous nations and poke holes in the narratives about cider we’re all too familiar with. We follow apple seeds and stocks across the continent and through time, visiting a vault, getting to know Midwestern cideries, and embracing the eclectic flavors (and stories) behind American cider.

Keep Learning:

Learn more about the Pacific crabapple and find out more about Nancy Turner’s research.

Find out more about the Gitga'at Nation, of which Cameron Hill serves as a councilor.

View the books Eveline Feretti describes online as part of the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Read Dan Pucci’s book, American Cider: A Modern Guide to a Historic Beverage.

Keep Hard Core on the air: become an HRN Member today! Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate.

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Hard Core is back! The first season of Hard Core came out before the pandemic. While we’re still drinking cider, the world is a very different place. That’s why we’re returning with season two. We can’t wait to travel through history and across the US with you.

In this episode, we’ll start our journey at the root. Before labeling, bottling, and fermentation, all cider starts out on the tree. We can’t talk about farming in the US without talking about land access. According to a 2017 report from the USDA, of over 3 million farms assessed, 95% of farm producers in this country are white and 65% of all farmers identify as male. The lack of representation in farming results in the same deficit in the world of cider making. In the season two premiere, we’re going to learn about some individuals and organizations who are working to rebalance, repair, and regrow.

Learn more about the organizations and businesses we mentioned:

Quarter Acre for the People

Redbyrd Cider

The Reparations Cider Package

Ironbound Cider

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