For the first time in local memory, there are no apples in the northern Shenandoah Valley (Virginia) this year. Two back-to-back hard freezes wiped out the entire crop at Nichol's Orchard. They have cattle and other crops, so the orchard will survive this blow. No apples = No cider pressing, which is sad for us. But even more importantly: No apples = No work for the six Jamaicans who have come to the Nichol's Orchard every Fall for decades to pick apples. No work = No income for them—and virtually no opportunity to make this up in their home towns. Their work in the orchard sustains their families for an entire year, and the loss of this income is truly devastating to them and their families. There are virtually no opportunities to make up for this loss in their hometowns.


All monies collected will be divided among these six workers to get them through this year. With good weather, they should be able to return to pick apples next year. Our family and hundreds of friends have pressed fresh cider from this orchard for 30 years, often working alongside these men as we glean apples for the press. We want to support these men, who, if they had their way, would be working alongside us this year, paying a backlog of bills with their earnings and providing thousands of pounds of apples to nearby markets. We can't do anything about the weather or the lack of apples, but we CAN do something about the domino effect burdening these men. If you have made cider at Longwalk (or if you just want to make a real and very meaningful difference in six men's lives), we encourage you to donate generously to support these men in this time of great need.