Nothing says fall quite like pumpkin spice, apple picking, and crunchy leaves underfoot. But for many Marylanders, the season isn’t complete without a visit to Weber’s Farm and a taste of their famous warm, sugary apple cider donuts.
With autumn right around the corner, farms like Weber’s in Parkville are gearing up for one of their busiest—and tastiest—times of year.
Jake Webber Jr., 46, has been involved in the family farming business since he was 12. He is the fifth generation of farmers to run Weber’s Farm—the oldest continuously operating cider mill in Maryland.
“I grew up here on the farm, just like my father did and and his father did and you know, the business has changed tremendously over that period of time,” Weber said. The farm has grown up alongside its customers too, he said, with parents who once visited as kids now bringing their own children back each fall.
“People come and talk about how their parents brought them here and now they’re bringing their kids or grandkids even…there’s nothing quite like having that kind of feedback,” Weber said.
Weber said the fall season is labor intensive, requiring plenty of seasonal employees and preparation, especially when it comes to making the donuts and cider.
“In January we might have 10 people here, honestly that’s probably on the high side,” he said.” Going into September, we have about 120,”
This fall, Webers is projected to sell 180,000 apple cider donuts and make 30,000 gallons of apple cider.
Behind the scenes, keeping up with the fall rush is no small task. Farm manager Jack Meyers, who has been with Weber’s for eight years, knows it well.
“Every day is a busy day for me. There’s always something to do. I prepare for this by getting good sleep every night,” Meyers said.
Weber explained that the apple cider is made using a hydraulic press that his grandfather purchased in the early 1940’s then pasteurized using a UV light system.
“Apple cider is just unfiltered squeezed apples, nothing else is added to it,” Weber said.
Beyond the cider and donuts, Weber says the farm offers insight into agricultural history and bridges the disconnect customers feel about the farm to table process.
“We do what we can to let people come out and pick their fruit and see where the apples come from…pick them right off the trees and get a little bit more appreciation for what you’re eating,” Weber said.
For Weber’s, fall isn’t just about cider and donuts. It’s about creating a place where memories are made and where generations keep coming back to share the taste of autumn in Maryland.
