Barton Orchards stands as a cornerstone of Hudson Valley agritourism, having evolved from its 1970s roots as a wholesale apple farm into a premier 180-acre destination. While the farm has long been celebrated for its famous cider donuts and a vibrant atmosphere often described as the Disneyland of the Hudson Valley, a new chapter is unfolding through a rapidly expanding craft cider program led by industry veteran Larry Stock. Larry isn’t new to the craft beverage world, but he brings a fresh, disciplined perspective to New York cider. Coming from a heavy-hitting background in brewing as the former co-owner and production lead at Mill House Brewing Company, Larry has traded the brewhouse for the orchard, applying his expertise in fermentation and cold-side production to elevate the Barton brand.
For Larry, the shift from beer to cider is a return to a more natural, intuitive process. He views the craft as a partnership with the environment, noting that cider making is deeply in tune with the seasons and more akin to winemaking than brewing, as the character of the juice changes with every variation in rain and sun. Working alongside farm owner Peter Barton, Larry is on a mission to define a sophisticated middle ground in the industry; moving away from "soda-sweet" products while remaining more approachable than higher-end, vintage-style bottles. His production philosophy is centered on minimal intervention and "respecting the apple," utilizing 100% fresh-pressed New York State juice with no back-watering and no heavy filtration.
This dedication to the fruit is reflected in Larry's cohesive, agrarian branding, featuring the flagship Tractor, a crisp and sessionable semi-dry cider, alongside fruit-forward offerings like the raspberry-infused Plow, the black cherry Hayride, and the spiced cranberry fall seasonal, Harrow. Larry’s technical precision is evident in the scale of the operation, which boasts fifty-six tap lines including as many as 6 farm crafted ciders and is also heavily focused on NY craft beer. across three locations on the farm. Despite the high-energy environment of the Sound Garden and the thousands of visitors Larry hosts each weekend, his focus remains on the personal connection between the maker and the consumer.
As Barton Orchards launches new distribution efforts to bring Larry’s kegs and cans to the surrounding four-county area and eventually statewide and beyond; the heart of the operation remains firmly rooted in the local community This expansion culminates in the farm’s 10th Anniversary Cider Festival on June 6th, where Larry is working to bring cider makers back to the forefront of the event. It is a landmark year for the Barton family, driven by Larry Stock’s vision of a future where fifty years of farming tradition meets a new, technically masterful era of New York craft cider.
