Old Hill Cider announces expansion plans

Published February 21, 2018 by Julie Rothey

Old Hill Cider will expand its hard cidery in Rockingham County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday.

The expansion will create five new jobs and $500,000 in investment.

The cidery will receive a $25,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, which Rockingham will match with local funds.

“This money will make it possible for us to take advantage of the growth and momentum of agritourism,” Sarah Showalter, owner of Showalter’s Orchard and Greenhouse and Old Hill Cider, said in a statement. “The resources will allow us to double our production volume as well as construct a retail space that will better serve our customers.”

Old Hill Cider is co-located with Showalter’s Orchard & Greenhouse, which has operated in Rockingham for more than 50 years. The cidery opened in 2012 and plans on creating a larger tasting room and a year-round produce sales area. It has committed to sourcing 100 percent of its apples from Virginia farms over the next three years.