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The Cider Farm Orchard Tour & Apple Press
Join us for an outdoor, safe, socially distanced tour of The Cider Farm Orchard! Experience the apple press in operation!
Tour The Cider Farm orchard to see the many apple trees that are used to make our ciders and apple brandy. Learn how we manage them organically and enhance the natural environment of our 166 acre farm in Wisconsin’s beautiful Driftless region. You’ll have an opportunity to taste two different ciders made from the orchard’s apples. The tour will be about one hour and afterwards you ae welcome to walk around the orchard, woodlands and prairie.
When fall arrives its time to press the apples. Depending on where we are in the harvest you may be able to see the apple press in operation. Experience the apples on the trees and you can try the tannic apples! Just a note, it may not taste as good as you would expect. 🙂
Make it a picnic! Bring a picnic blanket and order a boxed cheese board and cider for you to enjoy on site. Be sure to select the Cheese & Cider add-on when purchasing your tickets.
A few items to note about the tour:
- Be prepared to walk approximately a half of a mile. The terrain is varied so be prepared for uneven ground, stones and mud.
- Wear good, sturdy footwear. No open toed shoes.
- We encourage you to wear long pants and socks.
- All tour participants must be 21 years or older.
- We suggest you bring a water bottle and sun protection. Dress for the weather.
- Arrival and parking – once you arrive, follow the parking signs and meet near the farm building.
- Cell phone reception is limited.
- Please note this is NOT a you-pick orchard. We are not open to the public. Our apples are cider apples and not the apples sold for eating, baking, etc.
- Porta-potty on site.
- Water cooler to refill your water bottles.
- No picnic tables, just find a grassy spot that suits you for the cheese and cider option.
- No pets allowed.
- No smoking.
SAFETY MEASURES
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic it is important to keep everyone’s safety as a top priority. We will request that all tour guests make sure to maintain at least 6 feet from other tour guests that are not part of their family.
More about the tour!
Deirdre Birmingham is co-owner and manager of The Cider Farm. She started the orchard by taking a grafting class with her husband, John Biondi, in 2003 to learn how to make the tannic cider varieties they felt important to the quality ciders they envisioned. She has learned by trial and error how to grow organically the English and French varieties in our Midwest climate. Caroline Kerr, orchard employee and event coordinator, will join Deirdre in the tour. Caroline is also a seasoned Wisconsin Conservation Corps worker having recruited and managed teams to execute conservation projects in rugged terrains. She was also the Grow La Crosse Garden Educator.
Registration
$20 per person for the tour
$25 for the optional cheese plate