223: Diane Flynt, Foggy Ridge Cider (Dugspur, VA)

The Southern Fork

What does it take to commit to a creative pursuit? In Diane Flynt’s case, it took planting hundreds of apple varieties high in the Virginia mountains in order to find which ones might be best to make her dream cider. What resulted was Foggy Ridge Cider, which helped fuel the American cider revival and earned Flynt four James Beard nominations during its years in production, something that might sound even more amazing after you realize that she left a 20-year career in business at age 40 to plant those apples and begin her grand experiment. During the process, she bloomed into a scholar of Southern apples, and has now evolved into another chapter for herself, one of apple grower and supplier, author, and all around Southern apple evangelist.