Today, in our restored and modified barn, we make small batch handcrafted spirits from locally sourced ingredients. Like many of our neighbors and relatives “on the hill,” we do most things the old fashioned way…homegrown, made from scratch. It might not be the easiest way, but then, the joy is in the work.
Five generations ago, our family arrived in this area on foot and carved farms from the forest. The next generation Will Milk was somewhat of a legend in the fur trapping world, as well as being a talented blacksmith, beekeeper, and woodworker. Rather than depend solely on farming, he and his family embodied the spirit of living from the land. He was known for a mischievous sense of humor. Stories abound of his expressions and practical jokes. As a home beverage enthusiast, he was known for making wine out of just about everything that grows here like dandelion, elderflower, elderberry, and metheglin (honey-based wine). He brewed his own beer as well. Years after he died, we found bottles stashed away in all parts of the house and barn.
Appropriately enough, our distillery is on John Milk Road in Rock Valley, which was named after our grandfather, a veteran of WWI. He was born on this farm in 1892 and lived and farmed this land until his death in 1977.
It is the spirit of these ancestors that are buried here in Rock Valley that inspires us to follow their example, harvesting what the land in this mountain valley has to offer.
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