Croton Cider - Then & Now

This piece explores Croton's agricultural heritage by contrasting historical cider production with contemporary practices at Thompson's Cider Mill.

Thompson's Cider Mill is a modern venue where visitors can observe traditional apple cider-making processes. The proprietor, Geoff Thompson, and his team transform bushels of heritage and conventional apple varieties into cider using methods largely unchanged since the 18th and 19th centuries.

Croton's cider tradition runs deep historically. The Underhill family cultivated grapes and apples on Croton Point, while "one of the largest orchards in this country" operated by Mr. Conklin between Croton and Verplanck produced barrels of cider priced from three to seven dollars each.

A detailed photo essay documents the complete cider-making process: apples are loaded into hoppers, cleaned, conveyed to grinding machines, transformed into mash, layered in filter blankets, and pressed hydraulically to extract juice. The remaining pomace is repurposed as compost or animal feed, with Stone Barns Center utilizing Thompson's leftover mash.

Historical context from James Stuart's 1833 travel account and Pierre Van Cortlandt's 1787 correspondence documents early regional orchard operations and establishing cider's significance as both commodity and currency in colonial America.