This Month’s Featured Article

Farm & Bottle, located off of Route 9 in Red Hook, NY, is the latest project from Cooper’s Daughter Spirits, the Claverack, NY-based distillery known for its seasonal, small-batch spirits. Farm & Bottle officially opened its doors in July of 2025 in the location of a formerly long-abandoned farm stand. 

“The inspiration behind Farm & Bottle came from a love of the Hudson Valley and the farms and businesses that make up the local economy here. From the beginning, we wanted a place where we could highlight our own products alongside things made by nearby farms and makers,” says owner Sophie Newsome, half of Cooper’s Daughter, who founded the business with her father, Stuart Newsome – otherwise known as the cooper. Sophie’s husband, Rory Tice, serves as head distiller of the operation. 

Resurrecting the farm stand 

When Sophie, Rory, and Stuart found the property in Red Hook, they immediately were drawn to the old farm stand. “We lovingly nicknamed it ‘the birdhouse,’ because it was filled with nesting birds,” Sophie laughs. “But despite being in poor shape, we immediately saw the potential. It felt like the perfect place to renovate and turn into a shop that could showcase the things being grown and produced in this region – especially with the location being on the main road.” 

Red Hook was the right fit for Farm & Bottle for multiple reasons – partially because Sophie and Rory fell in love with the property and partially because of the surrounding area. “We had already been spending a lot of time here, so it just felt like the right place,” she said. “There’s also a really strong connection between farms, customers, and small businesses in this area, and that’s exactly the kind of community we want to be part of.”

Opening Farm & Bottle was quite the undertaking. The building had seen better days and required a complete renovation from top to bottom. They replaced the roof; rebuilt the walls inside and out; installed new insulation, doors, floors, and windows; and redid the electrical and HVAC systems. 

“At times, it honestly felt like it might have been easier to build a new building from scratch,” Sophie mused. “The farm stand was pretty close to being torn down and paved over. Instead, we were able to restore it and give it a new purpose. It’s nice knowing that a building with so many memories for people in Red Hook will now be around for decades to come. Almost everyone we talk to seems to have a story about visiting that farm stand at some point.” 

Sophie and Rory also have plans to build a small home on the back portion of the same parcel where Farm & Bottle sits. “We think it will be a wonderful place for our two young children to grow up, especially being around the orchard on the property.” 

Stocking goods that represent 

the Hudson Valley

Beyond the physical renovations, Sophie and Rory also had to build the store itself by sourcing products and stocking the shelves. “That was the fun part,” she said. They spent a lot of time connecting with local farms, makers, and small businesses to source products that they loved and that represented the region well. 

Farm & Bottle stocks a wide range of local goods, including fresh and frozen foods, flowers, produce, sauces, and jams. Of course, you can also find Cooper’s Daughter Spirits products, alongside other locally crafted natural wine, beer, and hard cider. 

One part of the store that visitors have really taken a liking to is the English section, where they’ve imported a variety of products from the United Kingdom that you don’t typically see locally. Sophie has dual citizenship – her dad is from England – so it was important that they source and feature some of the products that she grew up with and loves. 

“The process of sourcing products is very personal and intentional,” Sophie shared. “Nothing in the store was purchased just to fill shelf space. Everything has been tested or used in some way, whether that means tasting a food product or trying out a cocktail tool behind the bar. We’ve personally tried everything that’s in the store, and it’s been a really fun journey discovering all of these products along the way.” 

Sourcing locally has always been central to what they do at Cooper’s Daughter Spirits and now at Farm & Bottle, too. It stems from Sophie and Rory’s deep respect from local farms and desire to support local farms and makers whenever possible. 

“Local farms play a huge role in maintaining a healthy and vibrant food system, and they do incredible work feeding the communities around us,” she said. “We also just love where we live. There are so many talented producers, farmers, and creators right here in the Hudson Valley. When you have that kind of talent in your own backyard, it makes sense to work with and support the people who are part of the same community.”

Learning along the way 

Farm & Bottle isn’t modeled after any other roadside shop, which is what makes it so special. Instead, the store is a collection of the things that Sophie, Stuart, and Rory personally love and want to share with others. 

On the shelves, you’ll find everything from Cooper’s Daughter Spirits products and cocktail ingredients to ready-to-make dinners, seeds and succulents, and of course, treats from England. “It’s a mix of goods that reflects our interests and the things we enjoy, and we hope it creates a shopping experience that feels a little different from what people might expect.” 

Now just shy of a full year of being open, there are a few things that have changed since Farm & Bottle first opened its doors. While Sophie and Rory have vast experience operating the distillery, they didn’t have much experience with a more traditional retail experience, so they weren’t sure what to expect. 

“We started with things we personally liked and believed in and have been learning as we go,” she says. “Since opening less than a year ago, we’ve tried to stay flexible and open-minded. We assumed there would be things people really gravitated toward and other items that might not resonate as much. That’s definitely been true.” 

For example, fresh flowers have been incredibly popular, and they’ve also sold far more of their hand-carved wooden gnomes and mushrooms for gardens than they anticipated. “We joke that we’ve ended up doing a lot of business with the gnome crowd,” Sophie laughs. “Overall, it’s been important for us to listen to what the community responds to and let that help guide the direction of the shop.” 

Looking ahead 

Farm & Bottle also regularly partners with other local makers – including wineries, breweries, and bakeries – to host tastings in the shop. These makers also frequently come by the shop on weekends to set up and offer samples of their products. These tastings provide the opportunity for visitors to meet the people behind the products and learn more about what they’re making and how they make it. It also provides these makers and small businesses a chance to connect directly with consumers to share their stories. 

“In a lot of ways, the store is really just an extension of our lived experience as local foodies who happen to also be in the beverage business.”

Never one to shy away from a project, one of the most prominent items on the to-do list for Sophie and Rory is reviving the apple orchard on the property. The orchard, which hasn’t been cared for properly in approximately twenty years, will require lots of pruning and ongoing care to bring the trees back to optimal health. 

“That’s going to be a slow process, something that we tackle a little bit at a time, but it’s something we’re really excited about,” Sophie says. “In the long term, we’d love to grow apples and other produce that we can sell in the farm shop and potentially even use in spirits at our distillery in Claverack. The idea of becoming a farm ourselves is a really exciting direction for us that will bring it full circle.” • 

Farm & Bottle is located at 7961 Albany Post Road, Red Hook, NY, and Cooper’s Daughter Spirits is located at 284 State Route 23, Claverack, NY. For more information about Farm & Bottle or Cooper’s Daughter Spirits, visit their website coopersdaughter.com or follow them on Instagram @farmandbottle or @coopersdaughterspirits.