Made in New York: Black Dirt Apple Jack 100% Organic Brandy
The Black Dirt region of New York State, also known as the Drowned Lands, consists of the remains of a shallow lake that formed 12,000 years ago during the glacial period. The ebony soil is so rich and unique as to be an anomaly. In some areas the soil is comprised of up to 90 percent organic matter and can go as deep as 30 feet.
The glacial lake and repeated flooding of the Wallkill River has created what some consider to be "one great compost heap."
Though only just a bit more than an hour’s drive north from Manhattan, the black dirt region of New York spans more than 5,500 acres. Over half of the onions grown in New York are produced here as well as some of the best sod, pumpkins, and corn in the country, not to mention herbs, lettuce and other greens.
Using ingredients sourced directly from the Black Dirt region, two New York entrepreneurs are creating some tasty spirits at the Black Dirt Distillery in Pine Island, N.Y. See what they are up to at Made in New York.
