Franklin Cider Mill has been around since the 1830s. Photos: Samuel Robinson/Axios
👋🏼 Howdy, folks, it's Sam. There's just nothing better than Michigan in the fall.
Why it matters: From late August to November, you'll find families of all backgrounds walking up to huge barns seeking fresh doughnuts and apple cider across the Great Lakes State.
Driving the news: I drove to Bloomfield Township on Thursday to try Franklin Cider Mill for the first time, a family tradition for thousands around Metro Detroit.
- The mill has a number of seasonal treats for sale in and outside its barn: apples by the half peck (6 lbs.) and bushel (40 lbs.), as well as pies, homemade jams, maple syrup and salsas.
- There's also a hot dog stand selling cider dogs marinated in apple cider (and regular dogs, too).
Zoom in: You can watch staff make cider from behind glass using a process called pressing.
- You can also watch freshly made cinnamon sugar doughnuts get boxed hot off a conveyor belt.
By the numbers: Each press — using around 5,000 Michigan apples — makes 150 gallons of cider.
Other favorite mills in Metro Detroit include:
- Yates (Rochester Hills): The mill has a nature trail with views of the Clinton River.
- Open Monday-Friday, 7am-7pm, Saturday-Sunday, 9am-7pm.
- Blake's Farms (Armada): The farm offers haunted hayrides, a three-story haunted barn and zombie paintball starting today and each Friday through the season.
- Open Sunday-Thursday, 8am-7pm, Friday-Saturday, 8am-9pm.
- Westview Orchards & Winery (Washington Township): The wine porch is open and so is the vegetable garden for you-pick.
- Open daily, 10am-5pm.
- Apple Charlie's South Huron Orchards (New Boston): They have reasonably priced cider ($10/gallon) and pies ($13 pumpkin, $15 apple).
- They also offer hayrides.
- Open Sunday-Thursday, 10am-6pm, Friday-Saturday, 10am-8pm.
- Parmenter's Northville Cider Mill (Northville): On weekdays you can look through the viewing gate to see the cider being pressed.
- On weekends, the mill opens its Nut Hut, which makes candied almonds, and the Chow Mill, serving hot dogs and kielbasa.
- Open daily, 10am-8pm.
Flashback: My childhood cider mill is Bayne's Apple Valley in Freeland, about a 20-minute drive from my childhood home in Midland.
- Read more about Bayne's here.
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