Field Trip Information

General Field Trip Information

Cider Mill School Field Trips run from early September through November. They are designed for Pre-K through 5th grade students in groups of 35 or more. However are able to honor any age group not just Pre-K through 5th grade. Times are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on regular school days, Tuesday or Thursday. Visits take about 45 minutes. We will accommodate multiple classes from one school if that is better for you.

The Cider Mill in Endicott has introduced generations of children to traditional cider-making and the taste of pure, old-fashioned, fresh-pressed, sweet cider.

In recent years, over 1,500 children from local area schools visit the Cider Mill annually. In addition to watching the cider-making process, they can view our kitchen where Cider Mill old-fashioned, cake-batter doughnuts are made.

Often, field trips will include a guided walk through the Cider Mill Farmstand where varieties of fall apples, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, mums and other seasonal harvests fill the outdoor display.

Finally, there’s a cup of cool, sweet cider and a warm, fresh doughnut to top off each school child’s booked tour.

The goal of our school field trips is to keep an interest alive in all things healthy for body, mind, and soul, including the traditions of apple growing, cider-making, and harvesting the gifts of the seasons.

Parents & teachers may also find value using a copy of the “The Cider Mill Coloring Book”. This is a small, 12-page children’s coloring book with images and text describing the history and importance of apples and cider-making to life in our community and our country.

Download a copy of The Cider Mill Coloring Book to print before or after your visit to our mill:

The Cider Mill Coloring Book

Ready to book your visit?

Field trip arrangements can be made anytime via our field trip request form.

Request a Field Trip

Field Trip Guidelines

Cider Mill Field Trip Guidelines

School tours of the Cider Mill can be booked from September 4 through October 29, Tuesday or Thursday of each week at the following times: 8:30 AM through 1:00 PM. Don’t forget to supply a working e-mail address for correspondence. We will do our best to schedule your tour as close to the time requested. If a chosen date is booked, we will work with you to find another time that will be convenient.
At any time during our operating hours, one is able to walk through and view the doughnuts being made in the kitchen and watch live or on video the apple pressing process, and the press.
Black Out Dates are October 30 and 31.
We provide guided tours for groups numbering between 35 and 50 people. If you have a group that does not meet the minimum requirement, our facility is set up in such a way that a self-guided tour is a great option. At any time during our operating hours one is able to walk through and view the doughnuts being made in the kitchen, signs explaining the apple pressing process, and the press. Complimentary doughnuts are available only for booked tours however samples of our delicious cider are always available in our store. We have a wonderful farm stand with apples, pumpkins, squash, flowers and other seasonal produce that is fun to wander through.
Please arrive on time! If you are going to be late, give us a call. If we receive no call from a group after 15 minutes of the scheduled starting time, the tour must be forfeited.
Members of a booked tour group will receive a complementary doughnut and cup of fresh cider. Let us know if you would like to take the cider and doughnuts back with you instead of eating them at the Cider Mill. We will be happy to bag them for you.

Field Trip FAQs

Most school days during September, October, and November — Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM. We do not book tours on Mondays or Fridays.

There are no charges or fees for children visiting as part of a pre-scheduled public, private, or home school field trip, and qualifying in numbers (35 or more students).

Cider Mill field trips work best for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade ages. Most Pre-K and Kindergarten ages, and some 4th and 5th grade students, also enjoy their visit. Home school groups are welcome as well.

Typically, no more than 45 minutes.

If your group is smaller than 35 people, it may be possible to find another class to schedule a trip with you. Also, our facility is set up in such a way that a group can walk through and see what we are doing at any time, though one is not guaranteed to see cider being pressed. Our doughnuts are made on an as needed basis as well, though new batches are made often. Fresh cider is always available in our store for sampling, and anyone can down load a copy of our coloring book.

A guide will lead students around the Cider Mill starting with a peek through the kitchen window where doughnuts, pies, breads and other goods are made fresh daily. Along the way students see, first hand, apples being selected, chopped, spread into layers of “cheezes”, and squeezed by the Mill’s big press into premium cider. Our tours conclude where everyone samples a cup of fresh cider and an old-fashioned doughnut. Teachers may download a copy of the Cider Mill Coloring Book for students to color if they choose, to help them recall the importance of apples and apple-cider in America’s history. All are encouraged to walk through the Cider Mill Farmstand with its ever-changing varieties of apples, flowers, pumpkins, gourds and other fall delights.

Absolutely. And don’t forget your bus driver!

Many groups do, but it’s wise to consider that not all students are prepared with extra money, and you may wish to restrict “extra goodies” to the adults.

Wide doors and ramps provide easy accessibility. Ample and handicap restrooms are available.