By Caren Baginski

Cider is for sale year-round at The Apple Barn and Cider Mill in Sevierville, Tenn.

From tree branch to bushel basket, the journey is short for apples destined for the cider mill. Families travel miles to sip this fall flavor, keeping the drink a perennial favorite. Cider season is September through November, and watching how it is made can be just as fun as tasting.

Visiting a cider mill is a form of agritourism, an increasingly popular breed of farm-friendly family travel that is both educational and fun. In the past five years, Jane Eckert, founder and CEO of Eckert AgriMarketing, has seen mounting demand for orchards and farms that cater to tourism. Common farm activities include fruit picking, petting zoos, hayrides and corn mazes.

	Step 1: Apples are prescreened on a conveyor belt before heading into the washer.
	Step 2: After thoroughly scrubbed, apples head up another belt and are dumped into the grinder.
	Step 3: The pummeled mash is sent through a series of cloth rollers that squeeze all the juice into a shallow pan below.
	Step 4: The apple mash is carted away, while the cider is pumped into 500-gallon hoppers.

"They're kind of a show and tell, and part of the fun of coming to the farm is seeing something being made or picked," says Eckert. Cider mills employ tools that range from old-timey screw presses to state-of-the-art equipment. But all have the same delicious draw. And a visit to a mill finally will answer that age-old question: What the heck is the difference between apple juice and apple cider?

For starters, fresh apple cider tastes like you're biting into a ripe apple. Apple juice, which is made from cider, tastes less so. A typical cider press (like the one shown at right) starts with four to six varieties of whole, clean apples. They are funneled into a masher that chops the apples (stems, seeds and all) into tiny pieces. This pummeled mash is then sent through cloth rollers or pressed from the top down, both of which extract the juice into a pan. The dry apple mash is carted away to the compost bin or used as cattle feed. The still-cloudy juice is stored in large hoppers, ready to be bottled.

Once bottled, cider has a shelf life of about two weeks. The drink will ferment if sugar and yeast are added, turning it into hard cider. Pasteurizing the cider will protect it from harmful bacteria like E. coli, but it also will alter the juice's flavor and color. An additional filtration process removes all pulp from the juice, resulting in the clear, "pure" apple juice found in children's lunchboxes. Because apple juice is a part of most kids' diets, adds Eckert, a visit to a cider mill can help bridge the gap between farm and table.

Most cider mills are located near apple orchards in the Upper Midwest, Northeast and Northwest. These 10 mills promise to satisfy the thirst of all cider fans.

Vermont

Wood's Cider Mill, 802-263-5547
An old-fashioned hand-turned screw press is the mainstay of Wood's Cider Mill. Since 1882, and through seven generations, the mill has produced boiled cider, cider jelly, cinnamon cider syrup and maple syrup. In the fall, the cider mill is active most days of the week. If you aren't nearby, watch the cider press in action on this mill's website.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill, 800-3-APPLES
Cold Hollow is one of the largest producers of apple cider in New England, and it runs its rack-and-cloth press year-round. The grounds also feature a donut shop, fudge shop and toys for the kids. Adults can enjoy wine and hard cider tastings.

New York

Fly Creek Cider Mill, 800-505-6455
The Fly Creek Cider Mill in Cooperstown is a water-powered cider mill with 150 years of operation. A self-guided tour of the mill offers visitors a glimpse of every step in the old-fashioned process. An on-site market, bakery, donut shop and restaurant will satisfy every level of hunger.

Eagle Mills Cider Mill, 518-883-8700
An old-fashion water wheel powers the belts and pulleys at this traditional mill, and the 100-year-old "knuckle joint" press is a joy to behold. Watch as apples make the journey from fruit to juice, then head over to the bakery for donuts and sweet cider. Nearby is a covered bridge and family fun center with gem mining and dinosaur egg hunting.

Massachusetts

Hilltop Orchards, 800-833-6274
Located in the beautiful Berkshires, Hilltop Orchards is a winery, mill and orchard all in one. Makers of Johnny Mash hard cider and award-winning Furnace Brook Wine, Hilltop also sells fresh cider, fruit preserves and organic produce. Visitors can also enjoy open-air wine tastings, free hayrides and 21 varieties of pick-your-own apples.

Michigan

Yates Cider Mill, 248-651-8300
Rochester's Yates Cider Mill has been churning out apple cider since 1863 via an old-timey water wheel. Seasonal tours include a short movie and trips to the mill to watch the whole process. The fun doesn't stop there: the grounds include a petting zoo, pony rides, a river walk, and a fudge and ice cream shop.

Alber Orchard and Cider Mill, 734-428-9310
Just 30 minutes from Ann Arbor, Alber Orchard grows a dizzying array of apples, with over 50 traditional and heirloom varieties. Visitors can watch a demonstration of the orchard's original 1890 Mount Gilead cider press in action, as well as how apples are blended, squeezed and jugged. Take a horse-drawn wagon out to the pumpkin patch or work your way through the hay maze.

North Carolina

Apple Hill Orchard, 877-437-1224
Enjoy a tractor-drawn wagon tour every Saturday during cider season at this Morganton orchard and mill. Three generations have operated this farm since 1930, offering pick-your-own apples, educational tours, even a trip to the apple cold-storage facility. The country store offers jams, jellies, fudge and refreshing cider slushies.

Tennessee

The Apple Barn, 800-421-4606
Visitors to this Smoky Mountain mill will only get to see a slice of the cider-making process. On Wednesdays the apples are graded. On Thursdays they get pressed. On Fridays the juice gets jugged. Fill out your stay with a visit to the cider bar for fried apple pies, apple dumplings, apple cakes and apple cider. The creamery serves home-made ice cream from an antique soda fountain.

Texas

Apple Country Orchards, 800-765-7055
Apple Country Orchards grows 30 apple varieties in an orchard of 6,000 trees, and it is a great place to gather the family and pick your own. Orchard tours walk visitors from pollination and pruning through harvesting and pressing. Don't miss the popular Apple Butter Festival held each September.

Apple and Cider Facts

• Most cider mills are family-owned operations.


• Apples are the most varied food on Earth, with more than 7,500 recorded varieties.


• A second fermentation from acetic acid-forming bacteria turns hard cider into vinegar.


• In 1998, E. coli became a recognized health risk in apple cider, prompting the FDA to assign practices for pasteurization.


• Don't believe the labels: Pasteurized apple cider is not true cider. The moment cider is pasteurized it becomes apple juice.