Cider Mill Madness Top Four

We're in the semi-finals for the WCSX Cider Mill Madness! Get your votes in and support one of our local cider mills! Plus YOU could win an autographed Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitar and a $100 visa gift card!

Find out more and vote when you CLICK HERE. Scroll down to check out our semi-finalists!

Thanks to your votes, Franklin Cider Mill is the winner of Cider Mill Madness! Franklin Cider Mill will receive a $10,000 Marketing package from WCSX to spread the word on their win! Also congratulations to our lucky voter, Elise Gray of Farmington!  She was the winner of the autographed TSO guitar and $100 Visa Gift Card!

Franklin Cider Mill is a family tradition. Offering unique products and experiences. Where else can you get a grilled cider dog? All the apples used at Franklin are Michigan grown. You can catch the apples being pressed daily. It's been family-run for generations and still uses the same recipes for its donuts and cider that have been used for more than 80 years!

The Franklin Grist Mill was completed in 1837, the same year that Michigan became a state. The original builder was W. Matthews, but due to financial issues, he was not able to finish the build and the mill was sold to Peter VanEvery.  VanEvery completed the building and it opened as a gristmill on the Franklin River.

Around 1900, the Franklin Grist Mill flooded and the mill shut down.  It reopened in 1918 after being purchased by Robert McKee. McKee changed the mill to a cider mill and designated cider season as August 15th until January 1st.

In 1966, Jack Peltz, purchased the mill. Two years later, a flood washed away a 30-foot section of the road that the Mill stands on. Repairs were made, but water was no longer a power option, and electricity was installed. The Peltz family still run The Franklin Cider Mill today.

Find out more about Franklin Cider Mill when you CLICK HERE

Franklin Cider Mill Madness

Franklin Cider Mill Madness

Franklin Cider Mill Madness

Franklin Cider Mill Madness

Franklin Cider Mill Madness

Franklin Cider Mill Madness

This place may have its own zip code.  Blake Farm in Armada is an 800-acre working farm that produces over 40 varieties of apples.  Blake recently bought the Erwin's Orchard and Cider Mill in South Lyon and is continuing to produce cider and grow apples there as well.

Blake Farm has been around for 75 years.  They were founded by Gerald and Lovey Blake.  Gerald decided to farm and bought 100 acres in Armada where he and Lovey raised their 13 kids in a three-bedroom farmhouse.  The Blake family still owns and runs their cider company.  In 2013, they branched off to include Blake's Hard Cider which has done tremendously well for them.

The Armada farm has grown over the years from 100 acres to 800 acres.  They have their own Funland, in addition to their orchards and working farm.  They also offer you-pick apple experiences and nighttime bonfires.

Find out more about Blake Farm when you CLICK HERE.

Cider mill madness blake

Cider mill madness blake

Cider mill madness blake

Cider mill madness blake

Spicer Orchards is a big and beloved piece of the Fenton community and history.  Growing fruit is a craft at Spicer Orchards: a craft that has been handed down through the generations.  Today, the orchard offers tons of activities including You-Pick, playgrounds and inflatables, a WORK-OF-ART corn maze, and more.  Every Fall, Spicer hosts the Harvest Festival and the 5K Pumpkin Run.  Of course, there is plenty of Spicer's delicious donuts and cider!

The Spicer family has been growing fruit for six generations. Their original farm was near Detroit. The Spicer fruit was taken by horse and wagon downtown.  After I-96 was built, the family purchased a farm in Linden and a small market. This farm supplied the Novi market with fruit for many years.

In 1967, the farm in Hartland was purchased.  The Spicer farm market was first located in a 100-year-old barn just east of their present market. An addition was put on to an existing barn and their first donut room was located in the silo.

In 1980, the 2nd Hartland market was built at the current location. The present building was designed after an old Victorian carriage house that once stood on the farm. The building has 10,000-bushel storage, a sorting machine, a donut shop, a bakery, a cider mill, a winery, and a salesroom. In 2009, they added their own winery!  With all that fruit, why not?

Find out more about Spicer Orchards when you CLICK HERE

cider mill madness spicer fenton

cider mill madness spicer fenton

cider mill madness spicer fenton

cider mill madness spicer fenton

cider mill madness spicer fenton

cider mill madness spicer fenton

Yates Cider Mill was established in 1863!  For 159 years, it's been a part of Rochester. Walk the loop, check out the parks, and farm animals, and enjoy Yate's delicious cider and donuts!  Two very unique things about Yates: they are powered by water and use a UV light process to treat their cider instead of pasteurization.

Caroline S. Yates, the wife of William Henry Yates, bought 80 acres of land along the Clinton River in 1863 when Rochester was still Avon Township.

This establishment opened as a sawmill and gristmill for settlers and farmers.  By 1876, Yates added apple cider pressing to its list of services.  By the early 1900s, the focus was solely on using the mill for cider as demand grew.

The original mill was rebuilt and replaced by the present structure in 1894, and a 26-inch water turbine was installed to power the mill. William and Caroline’s son, Frank William Yates, later carried on the operation of the mill. He then passed it on to his son, Harry Yates. Harry introduced donuts to customers at the mill.

City of the Week visited Yate's a couple of years back.  Here's how that adventure went:

Find out more about Yates Cider Mill when you CLICK HERE

Yates cider mill

cider mill madness

cider mill madness

Yates cider mill

Yates cider mill