Sixteen products, all from apples. That's the trick at Highbank Orchards, a fifth-generation organic farm at Cuffesgrange in County Kilkenny. The family planted the first orchards here in 1969, on the limestone soils south of Kilkenny city and turned the whole farm over to organic growing in 1994. No sprays, no herbicides, no synthetic fertiliser. Just apples, and a stubborn refusal to do it any other way. What do they make from these apples? Juice and cider, including a non-alcoholic Drivers Cider and the wild-yeast Proper and Medieval ciders. Orchard syrup and treacle. Cider vinegar and apple balsamic. And from Dodonus, the small distillery they built in the old farm dairy in 2014, a run of spirits: Crystal Gin, orchard brandy, apple rum and vodka. Pip to sip, as they put it. One of our followers on Instagram pointed me to this place and I wish Iived closer! You can visit the farm too: the farm shop is open through the week and their Red Gate orchard walk takes you out among the trees on a self-guided trail marked by old forged Irish gates. Giving you a proper sense of where the bottle on your shelf began.

Social Media

Instagram: https://instagram.com/highbankorchards Facebook: https://facebook.com/highbankorchards

Can people visit or buy direct?

Yes, the farm shop at Cuffesgrange is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and Saturday by appointment. The products are also sold online. You can book the Red Gate self-guided orchard walk (€16 per person, about an hour, groups of one to eight) or a guided Taste and Tour through the website.

Website

https://highbankorchards.com

Address Summary

Highbank Organic Farm, Cuffesgrange, Co Kilkenny, Ireland, R95 W58P