Eagle Mills Cider
Mill
by Shelley D. Zajaceskowski
Owned
and operated by Mr. Craig Boyko, Eagle Mills Cider Mill
holds its annual Art and Craft Show in Broadalbin, NY
every year. Located just off State Route 29 on Eagle
Mills Rd., Broadalbin, I reminisced about when I once
visited the place. The road was completely lined with
cars up one side and down the other. Driving inside the
gates to the Eagle Mills Cider Mill, the small charge
for parking on the lot was jammed packed as well.
Strolling
down the gravel road you could immediately smell the
sweet aroma of apples and baked goods. This place was
filled with families and their children. With so much
to see and do I didn’t know where I should begin.
Walking in further I saw the cider mill. They offered
free tours and with that sweet aroma coming out, I was
going in! The apple cider was made before my eyes. Mr.
Boyko took everyone through the whole cider making process
step-by-step. This was a great educational experience
for all.
Being
that I was smelling all these good things, my next spot
to check out was the bakery! Mmm, even better there.
This was very appealing, a real country bakeshop! Samples
of their goods lined the counter with hands pushing their
way through to get a bite. Again, I saw that you could
watch the baked goods being made from scratch. From apple
pies, to fresh made cider donuts to turnovers to strudel
and fresh cheeses, a real delight for my taste buds!
The
next area I headed for was a favorite of mine, the covered
bridge. This bridge, known as a Town Lattice covered
bridge, named for its heavy, lattice-like framework.
As the Kennyetto Creek waters trickled beneath the bridge,
this was a peaceful spot to take a breather. This is
New York State’s only double walkway and drive-through
covered bridge. So pretty! Crossing over the bridge to
the other side is an adventure in itself. The Eagle Mills
Art and Craft Show reside there with one of the largest
selections/displays of handcrafted items I’ve ever
seen. There had to be at least 100 displays set up. Whatever
you thought of I bet it was there on exhibit for you
to buy.
What
an ambiance there at Eagle Mills I thought. It felt like
a real old-fashioned country fair! As I strolled through
the remainder of Eagle Mills I saw two areas of fun for
kids of all ages. The “Dino Dig” where kids
go off with shovels in hand and “dig” for “Dino
eggs.” The “Dino eggs” can be redeemed
for goodies in its gift shop. A real treasure for kids.
And speaking of treasures, your children can also pan
for gems at the Gem Stone Mine area. I even saw a little
train ride for the younger ones. What a place at Eagle
Mills!
As
I was on my way out and still smelling that sweet aroma
from the bakery and cider mill, I thought what a great
day I had. It was educational, entertaining, with plenty
of good food to eat and completely rounded out my weekend.
With
the upcoming events planned at Eagle Mills this year,
why not come on over and check those events out for fun,
young and old. The fun begins in May of this year.
When
the Cider Mill is in full operation, sampling lots of
good food, and spending the day with friends and family
would surely be fun. With all that, I recommend the Eagle
Mills Cider Mill activities and bakery for a true family-oriented
day of country fun!
E-mail: CiderMill@eaglemillsfun.com
Opening season: May 2005
Autumn Hours: Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Open by reservation only for group tours/field trips on Monday-Wednesday.
About
Shelley The
Sacandaga Digest
