Dear Crabby, Are the Cider Mills Open as Usual?

Dear Crabby, Are the Cider Mills Open as Usual?

Sincerely, Johnny A.

Hi Johnny,

Well yes they are! And they are busy! If you like lines, go on the weekend. However, if you’re like me and cannot stand a line for any reason (unless it’s for something free) then go through the week and go to a smaller cider mill, such as Rochester Cider Mill or Goodison Cider Mill. But the Rochester area has four great mills and you should hit them all at least once this season.

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Dear Crabby Gives Advice

So, with everything going on right now – besides being open – you probably want to know if protocol has changed for visiting a local cider mill. All the mills are open for their regular seasonal hours – that hasn’t changed. And because mills get those crazy long lines, all the Rochester area mills – Rochester, Goodison, Yates, and Paint Creek – already have an “Enter” door and an “Exit” door, which works well right now while folks try to give space to one another in public places. When you visit, go in their enter door, order donuts, cider, etc., then go out their exit door – it all works really, really well.

You’ll notice some have installed plexiglass at the point of sale, and all employees will be wearing face masks, especially because of the tight spaces they’re working in. Yates Cider Mill asks that only one person from your group wait in line to stay in compliance with a limited capacity right now. But these are small, mom & pop type businesses, so that’s about all you’ll notice has changed.

Outside is as packed as always – on the weekends – so you’ll be in charge of keeping your distancing, or not, based on your needs to feel comfortable. But most mills still have all their activities. Goodison has “Sunday Funday” with a funny man doing balloon creations and live folk music. Rochester has a hay pyramid and a few farm animals – chickens and pigs. Paint Creek has the trail and the stream, but that’s always there. And Yates has the petting zoo, as well as the apple and fudge tents open.

Our “A Look Back” history writer, Deborah J. Larsen, has done a wonderful job crafting the story behind each of the four cider mills in the Rochester area. Please revisit her articles from last fall …

Thanks for the question, now go to the cider mill and bring me some donuts and cider! Or better yet, drop some off to a neighbor or loved one that cannot get out right now.

Sincerely, Dear Crabby.

Stuck in a rut? Need some biased advice from a crabby old baby-boomer? Then email me your question at dearcrabby@rochestermedia.com. You can also head on over to my Facebook page and tell me how wonderful I am.

About Dear Crabby

Stuck in a rut? Need some biased advice from a crabby old baby-boomer? Read regularly by thousands and loved by some, Dear Crabby answers questions weekly to life's challenges. Send him a note at editor@rochestermedia.com.

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