Spearheaded by Leigh Nash, and assisted by Debby de Groot and Andrew Faulkner, Assembly Press is an independent book publisher based in Prince Edward County. It has new titles coming in the fall from authors as near as the County’s own Sarah Selecky, and as far as England, with Holly Prester.

But its very first publication is, appropriately, County Social: Vignettes from Prince Edward County’s Craft Drinkmakers. Even more appropriately, the book is an “assembly” of sorts. Editors Natalie Wollenberg and Leigh Nash have collected thoughts and stories, and even some recipes, from more than three dozen of the County’s wine, beer, cider and spirit-makers. They call it a “tasting flight.”

The book is both hefty and handsome, with rich photography. There are familiar faces and places, as well as some behind- the-scenes brewing-in-action shots.

County Social explores the felt sense of connection to the land in all the individuals and families who came here to launch into unknown territory, risking time and money to develop not only the horticulture that produces the industry’s raw materials, but also the infrastructures required to ferment and bottle it — not to mention the venues to serve it. These are all labours of love. With an emphasis on labour. The commitment to craft, and the sheer hard work it requires, is palpable in these pages. The book recognizes, over and over again, the dedication and selflessness that living farm-to-table, or in this case bottle, demands.

At the book launch in May, hosted with rustic elegance by The Grange of Prince Edward, in Hillier, Ms. Wollenberg noted that her family was celebrating its tenth anniversary in the County: “we have never felt so a part of a community as we have here; the hospitality and camaraderie between entrepreneurs here is just truly touching.”

In keeping with the community theme of the book, Ms. Nash noted that royalties from the sale of County Social will support Alternatives for Women. 

FROM THE BOOK

In each chapter of County Social, a local maker tells their story. Where did they come from, how did they choose the County? What happened along the way? How have they met the challenges?

In the following excerpt Zoe Marshall Nares of Stock & Row Cider, Bloomfield, tells part of their story, reflecting on ethics, aesthetics and eros along the way.

“Justin and I are the two managing partners of Stock & Row. Justin lives in Toronto, and because of his connections in the bar and restaurant industry, we were able to tackle the Toronto market early on, before our brick-and-mortar location was open to the public. In March 2020, the world as we knew it changed when the Covid-19 pandemic began.

“Those clients and connections became our focus as all bars and restaurants were forced to shut down. After the first Ontario-wide lockdown, we decided to donate 100% of profits from our home delivery sales back to bar and restaurant staff who couldn’t work. Four years earlier, that would have been both Justin and I. That decision ended up growing our brand unexpectedly. When we were able to start selling again, we hit the ground running. It felt like the goodwill we shared came back to us.

“I love our farm on Gilead Road and I love working on it daily. I like hands-on work, like being able to plant something and then see it grow. I also really love production and using real ingredients to showcase amazing Ontario fruit. I use 100% Ontario apples and natural ingredients for all of my cider recipes. Our flagship cider, Slow & Low, was selfishly made for my taste—it’s dry, crisp, and clean. Our second cider was inspired by Justin and his forward-thinking creativity. Cold Tea is an apple-based cider infused with cold-steeped, loose-leaf black raspberry tea. This cider was made to compete with the exploding seltzer market, which started to take shelf space away from local craft producers. Essentially, Justin’s idea was to make a cider seltzer a staple of our portfolio. It’s become a fan favourite. I created our third release for both Justin and I and our common love of margaritas and sour beers. Lime Crush is an apple-based cider blended with key lime purée to create a mouth-watering and refreshing drink that makes any day feel like summer.

“Our tasting room is run by my partner, Taylor. We met on a dating app when we were both living just outside Toronto. She bought a house in the County before I even knew if I would be here permanently. I was lucky enough that she felt drawn to working for Stock & Row. Not only does she run the tasting room, but she also keeps the paperwork organized. And if I’m lucky, she makes it out to do farm work with me. Our work-life balance isn’t always great, but I’m grateful to have somebody I love and trust in the trenches with me. We work 12-hour days but I’m okay with that because I love what I’m doing—it doesn’t feel like work.”

Published with the permission of Assembly Press from County Social: Vignettes from Prince Edward County’s Craft Drinkmakers by Natalie Wollenberg and Leigh Nash.© 2024 .