This year marks the 140th anniversary of the Gowan family business: an apple orchard featuring rare California native apples in the tiny town of Philo, California, where the population hovers around 350. Through droughts, wars, economic depressions, a rush for gold, and fast-evolving technology, it seems Northern California has always had an appetite for apples. For fourteen decades and counting, the Gowan family has worked hard to keep their land and fruit healthy so they could keep up with the pace of the changing times — and they've managed to do just that.

The latest innovation from Gowan Orchards is their hard cider. Philo is located just next door to the world's most famous wineries and craft breweries, so their inspiration comes from a mix of long-time fermented beverage artisans and from the "rich history and palette of flavors," as Sharon Gowan tells us, delivered by the Gowan's old growth apple trees.

This episode — our 40th — features Sharon and Don Gowan, the elder Josephine Gowan, and Sharon and Don's son, Jacob, all of whom share a vital role at the farm. Listen to the episode to hear the full story. Be sure to subscribe to Menu Stories to get more episodes like this one delivered to your inbox.