ST. JOHNS, Mich. — They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and at Phillips Orchards and Cider Mill in St. Johns, you might never have to visit the doctor again.
I wanted to check out what this orchard does during the summer season, and what you can look forward to for the fall.
For more than 170 years, Phillips Orchards and Cider Mill has been standing tall.
"Every tree I plant I know is going to be here after I'm long gone," said Co-President Brian Phillips.
Phillips is the current generation of the farm right off of U.S. Route 127, and he's always keeping an eye to the future.
"If we prune it bad or we do something we wish we hadn't done, we're going to see it next year and the year after that, so it's just that longevity and continuity year to year," said Phillips.
Years of those efforts are starting to be seen today with a new season underway.
"We actually are right in the very beginning of apple season, and most people don't think of apples in July. There are just a few really early apples that are in late July and early August," said Phillips.
But this year, those early-season apples didn't come without worry.
"June was super dry as everyone knows, and that was making us concerned. But the good thing about apple trees is their fairly deep roots, so they can hold out for a while. And with this recent rain we've gotten, that's made us really optimistic with how the crop is going to look this year," Phillips said.
So if you're in the mood to start your fall season early, Phillips invites you to come see what they have to offer.
"We have cider year round. We press cider for about six months of the year, and then the other six months, we freeze cider so that we can have it for the other six months, so we always have cider. We make cider donuts every day of the year, cider slush is a thing this time of year because it's cold and refreshing on a hot summer day," said Phillips.
Phillips Orchards and Cider Mill is the place where for 170 years you've been guaranteed to find the apple of your eye.
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