Beloved Michigan Cider Mill Changing Owners After 100 Years
In Michigan, fall is way too short a season, in my opinion. I love fall, but it seems to be over in the blink of an eye. That said, although…
(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
In Michigan, fall is way too short a season, in my opinion. I love fall, but it seems to be over in the blink of an eye. That said, although there's plenty of summer left, I'm already starting to look around at fall things to do in the Mitten, and there are plenty of options.
One favorite Michigan orchard and cider mill is closing its doors after 102 years of business. That's pretty heartbreaking, but at least the orchard offered many good memories over the years.
Erwin Orchards Inc. has announced that it's officially closing. All is not lost, though, as Blake's will be taking over. The reason for the closing is that Erwin and Emery families are retiring. Linda Erwin wrote on the orchard's Facebook page that they have much appreciation for the business and fantastic customers over the years. Bill and Linda Erwin were the fourth generation running the orchard. The two made a life on the farm, working there for more than 54 years. It's such a sweet story.
"We are proud of what we have built but know that none of it would have been possible without our yearly beloved and dedicated work family, many of which have been with us for multiple years and all of you, our loyal customers," Erwin stated in a Facebook post. "You have supported us year after year through good crops and not-so-good crops and even a total loss of our apple crop due to freezing temperatures in 2012!" If you have memories to share, the family is asking people to send those memories or farewells to them at erwinorchards@gmail.com. The family also stated on Facebook that some of their land will still be used for farming under the new ownership, so it's nice to see that tradition somewhat continue.
Michigan has a slew of beautiful parks and outdoor areas that are a major tourist attraction for Michiganders and those beyond the Mitten. It's easy to find state parks, campgrounds and outdoor recreation areas throughout the state, which makes it simple to find summertime things to do in the state.
Of course, many of Michigan's most charming state parks are located on or near one of the Great Lakes. It doesn't get much more beautiful than exploring a state park near the water. I'm actually more of an ocean kind of girl, but since we're so far from the ocean here in Michigan, you really can't go wrong enjoying the gorgeous lakes.
If you're looking for some summertime fun, I've put together a list of 30 beautiful Michigan state parks to get on your to-visit list. I've only been to a few of these parks, but the ones I've visited are breathtaking. Last summer, I traveled to Sleepy Hollow State Park in Laingsburg and did some hiking, which offered an endless array of beautiful views of nature. Another one on the list that I've visited is Ludington State Park Beach, which offers some great views of lighthouses.
If you're looking for some interesting Michigan state park trivia, Michigan's 101 state parks and recreation areas cover 306,000 acres (124,000 ha) with 14,100 campsites in 142 campgrounds and over 900 miles (1,400 km) of trails. The state parks get 28 million annual visitors. Michigan's state parks system was launched in 1919. There are three Michigan state parks that pre-date the creation of the park system in 1919, and those include Mackinac Island State Park (1895), Michilimackinac State Park (1909) and Interlochen State Park (1917). According to Michigan.gov, Michigan has 103 state parks and 138 state forest campgrounds. "In Michigan, you’re never more than a half hour away from a state park, state forest campground or state trail system," they state.
