Laura Ten Eyck, the great granddaughter of Indian Ladder Farms founder, Peter Ten Eyck, and her husband, Dietrich Gehrig, are continuing their family’s century-old tradition of living close to the land. What began in 1916 as a dairy farm with Guernsey cattle has developed over four generations to become a prolific apple orchard that yields delicious cider. Indian Ladder Farms now grows its own hops and barley, much to the delight of those who have a passion for the beer they brew. Their vision is to stay “hyper-local,” growing ingredients and making their own products for the Albany community while preserving the pristine landscape via a land trust. Laura and Dietrich recently published The Hop Grower’s Handbook, which provides an inspiring account of the history of hop cultivation on the land surrounding their farm as well as practical guidance for those who would like to join the ‘farm to glass’ movement.
