Thompson’s Cider Mill redently had its most successful opening day ever with customers flocking to two locations this year. Due to the need for additional space to meet social distancing requirements, the Cider Mill located at 335 Blinn Road has shifted part of its operations to Fable Farm on Kitchawan Road (Route 134).
“The shift of our fresh cider, apples and baked goods sales to our second location a mile away at Fable Farm on Route 134 proved very successful and enabled us to maintain social distancing protocols at the Cider Mill where we are offering our hard ciders only,’’ said owner Geoff Thompson. “This was our biggest opening weekend in 44 seasons, helped by ideal, clear, crisp early fall weather.”
The Cider Mill began its 44th season Saturday. It will continue operations 10am – 5pm Saturdays and Sundays at Fable Farm adjacent to the southbound entrance to Taconic State Parkway’s Exit 11–Ossining for sales of apples, fresh-pressed apple cider, cider doughnuts and baked goods, while its award-winning hard ciders at 335 Blinn Road Croton will be sold from 12 noon – 5:30pm Saturdays and Sundays through Christmas. The hard ciders are available year-round.
The opening at Fable Farm was attended by Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater, who praised the mill as an example of the continuing role agricultural operations and farms play in the town. “Yorktown has a rich agricultural heritage. We are proud of the role that our farms play in our economy, and I was happy to be on hand to help celebrate the Cider Mill’s 2020 opening day.’’
Thompson’s makes fresh cider each week from a blend of not fewer than 10 varieties of locally grown apples including many lesser known and heirloom varieties from the Cider Mill’s orchard. Over the course of the 15-weekend season which continues until Christmas, more than 35 varieties of eating apples are also available during the season.
“We opened with 12 varieties of locally grown apples, a number that will continue to expand each week into early November,’’ said Thompson. “Our new introduction of Apple-Blueberry hard cider was an instant hit, and all of our hard ciders and apple wine sold very well.”
Tom Deacon, owner of Fable Farm said: “We’re excited to partner with Thompson’s for the fall season to provide a safe, open space for people to shop and enjoy their cider and doughnuts.” The farm raises several hundred free-range chickens who lay beautiful blue, green and purple colored eggs, and offers a variety of organic produce including heirloom tomatoes, squash, radishes, garlic, microgreens and more that are available at the farm’s market.
Four years ago, Thompson’s introduced its own line of dry and semi-dry Hard Ciders produced on-site from their fresh cider. The Hard Ciders recently won four medals in the 2020 Great American Cider Competition.
For more information, visit thompsonscidermill.com
