Red Barn Cidery, Rooted in Congers

For Niles Davies and his family, keeping Dr. Davies Farm going means finding new reasons for people to spend time there.

The Congers farm dates to 1891, when Dr. Lucy Virginia Meriweather Davies established it. Today, the fourth and fifth generations remain involved. Apples and cider are part of that history, and Red Barn Cidery has given the family another way to share them.

At Red Barn, the farm becomes a place to settle in for an afternoon. There’s hard cider, food trucks and live music, with an outdoor setting that welcomes families. The family has pressed sweet cider from its apples for generations; the cidery carries that work into a different kind of gathering.

Niles, who describes running the business with his sister Chris and brother Lee, talks about its purpose plainly: keeping the tradition going and giving people somewhere to enjoy themselves. In his conversation with RocklandConnected, he moves easily between those responsibilities and the details of hosting—booking bands, offering activities, finding drinks people like.

He also knows how much work sits behind a relaxed afternoon for everyone else. Asked about starting a business, he offers no elaborate advice. Be prepared for the time it takes, he says, and for how often it stays on your mind.

“You’re investing your life in it.”

That commitment has a long history here. This September, the farm is welcoming apple pickers again, while the cidery gives visitors a place to extend their visit over a drink or live music. Check the current calendar before heading over; the outdoor operation depends on the weather.