Author Archives: cidermillfriends

CMF selected as beneficiary of Fishkill Farms “Corn Maze for a Cause”

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Every year Fishkill Farms has a corn maze. 30% of ticket sales are donated evenly among local organizations that are bettering the community, and this year Cider Mill Friends is honored to be selected.

This year’s maze theme is cider. These are the recipients:

Cider Mill Friends of Open Space & Historic Preservation
Cider Institute
Hudson Valley Research Lab, Inc.
NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York – September 14th only, in celebration of Farm Fest ’25

Tickets to the corn maze are sold at the entrance of the maze. Because it is located in the orchard, pick-your-own reservations are required to access the maze.

Invitation to annual fundraising events in October

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Please join us at our 13th annual old-fashioned cider tasting at the Kimlin Cider Mill on Saturday, October 4, rain or shine under a large tent. More information is available at the event webpage.

We also have our inaugural Cider In The Meadow event the night before on Friday, October 3 also under the large tent. More information is available at the event webpage.

Tickets for both events are available for purchase online. If purchased online, you are entered into an exclusive raffle for a growler of Kimlin Cider, which is otherwise only available at the event and for tasting only. Cider Tasting tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event, too.

Thank you so much to our sponsors, partners, and cider donors!

Call for sponsors

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Please consider sponsoring the 13th annual Cider Tasting on October 4. The event will showcase many local hard and sweet ciders including our own Kimlin Cider. This year we are also introducing our first Cider In The Meadow event the night before the Tasting, which features pairings of cider and curated foods in collaboration with CIA students and local restaurants, music, and silent auction.

See the letter below for more information. You can donate at this page. As a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, Cider Mill Friends fulfills its mission exclusively through community support and donations.

Sponsorship Request letter – June 2025Download
Sponsorship Form Fillable – June 2025Download

Antique Engine on Loan from CT Antique Machinery Association

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The Connecticut Antique Machinery Association (CAMA) in Kent, CT is is a museum dedicated to the preservation, restoration and demonstration of antique machinery from our rich industrial and agricultural past. Just like Cider Mill Friends, CAMA is a non-profit organization of all volunteers (no paid staff). Recently CMF and CAMA partnered up with CAMA providing CMF a long term loan of a stationary engine similar to the one that used to power the cider press at the Kimlin Cider Mill.

Moving the CAMA engine into the cider press room

Archaeology Survey by Vassar College

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The first Kimlin cider press in the late 1800s was a simple press that was powered by a horse walking in a circle around the press and the cider was drained through straw. Kimlin family lore tells us where the original press was located on the west side of Cedar Avenue. In 2023, CMF partnered with Vassar College to have some archaeology done in the presumed area of the original press.

Professor Ryan Rybka was teaching the course “Archaeology: Lessons from the Past”, which is as introductory archaeology class, and so he used the Kimlin cider press “ground truthing” as part of the class.

They performed two days of field work (shovel test pits) and then wrote up a report of the results. The most decisive evidence for this being the location of the original cider mill is that one of the test pits located a vertically positioned wooden post. More work is needed, but we are grateful for the efforts of Professor Rybka and his students and glad that we could provide an opportunity for the class to do some archaeology for us.

FreeCycle added to Cider Tasting Event

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The Kimlins, like most farmers at the time, reused everything over and over. In the spirit of that attitude, we are holding a FreeCycle event during our annual cider tasting on October 5. A table will be set up with various items for free that are ready for a new home. Please do not bring items to drop off as we already have enough for this event, but do stop by the table and take anything that you would like. Note that the FreeCycle component of the cider tasting event may be canceled if it is raining.

Sponsor the 12th annual Cider Tasting

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Please consider sponsoring the 12th annual Cider Tasting on October 5. The event will showcase many local hard and sweet ciders including our own Kimlin Cider. See the letter below for more information. You can donate at this page. As a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, Cider Mill Friends fulfills its mission exclusively through community support and donations.

Invitation to annual cider tasting

Please join us at our 11th annual old-fashioned cider tasting at the Kimlin Cider Mill on Saturday, October 14, rain or shine under a large tent. More information is available at the event webpage: Cider Tasting 2023.

Tickets are available at the door or purchase online. If purchased online, you are entered into an exclusive raffle for a growler of Kimlin Cider, which is otherwise only available at the event and for tasting only.

Thank you so much to our sponsors, partners, and cider donors!