Apple Sauced Cider™, a Sebastopol-grown cidery, is seeking local residents to donate apples from their backyard for a community cider blend called “Backyard” cider. Apple Sauced Cider will donate 100% of the profits from this batch of cider to Slow Food Russian River and its Apple Core project, which is responsible for raising awareness of and preserving the county’s apple heritage.
As members of Slow Food Russian River and apple growers, Hunter and Jolie Wade of Sebastopol’s Apple Sauced Cider aim to engage community members and give back by producing a “backyard” cider, a true expression of Sebastopol’s unique flavors.
The couple's cidery is looking for West county residents’ backyard apples to be donated and blended into a community cider. On a date to be announced, some time in the middle of August, the cidery is inviting all those with donatable fruit to drop off early-season apple varieties, including Gravensteins and others, into large bins at Devoto Gardens and Orchards in Sebastopol.
Apples will be washed, pressed, fermented, and bottled by Apple Sauced Cider™ . The cidery will then donate 100% of the profits from this batch to the Apple Core Project.
“There are many Sebastopol residents who have Gravenstein trees in their backyard that produce more fruit than they know what to do with," says Jolie Devoto Wade, Director of Sales and Marketing for Apple Sauced Cider. "People keep saying how sad it is to see Gravensteins fall and rot on the ground. Our goal is to get people excited about those apples by presenting them with an opportunity to donate the fruit for a good cause.”
Apple Sauced Cider was founded by the Wades in 2012. The cidery aims to utilize all the local organic apples that it possibly can. In 2012, the cidery produced 1100 cases of cider and experienced the pleasant problem of not being able to meet demand. In 2013, production is set to increase to 5,000 and more cases of cider to help satisfy Sonoma County residents’ thirst for a truly local beverage.
In addition to making the cider, Apple Sauced Cider prides itself for being the ‘clean-up crew’ on the founder’s family farm, Devoto Gardens and Orchards, aiming to use every single processing apple on the 26 acres of organic heirloom apple varieties.
Since it will be produced in a limited quantity, Apple Sauced Cider’s “Backyard” Cider™ will be available through direct case delivery through the cidery’s website, AppleSaucedCider.com. in addition to being featured by several local restaurants and Bay Area retailers from October 2013.
For more information, comments, or ideas on the project, or those interested in volunteering, please contact Jolie Devoto Wade at info@applesaucedcider.com.
I love this thinking! Orchards have really dwindled over the years in Sonoma County ... great idea
Posted by: drew washer | Thursday, March 21, 2026 at 11:09 AM