Thrifty Thurston Welcomes Fall at Lattin’s Cider Mill

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By Megan Conklin

heritage bankNothing epitomizes fall in Thurston County like a trip to Lattin’s Country Cider Mill and Farm. Without a doubt, the best time to visit Lattin’s, a family owned and operated farm that has been churning out both award winning cider and tons of fun since January of 1956, is during their Fall Apple Festival.

Carolyn Lattin raised her four children on the farm and describes those early years as “tremendous, hard work.” Yet, she speaks of twenty hour days filled with school runs, food preparation, and building a business with a contented smile on her face. “It is still really fun, and really, really busy,” Lattin explains. She manages the cider mill and farm with the help of her two daughters, Sherrie and Debbie, and ruefully admits, “When you are as old as I am and still can’t wait to come to work every morning, well, there must be something wrong with you, right?”

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Lattin’s Country Cinder Mill and Farm has been operating in East Olympia for almost 60 years.

There is actually something very right happening at Lattin’s. The family atmosphere at the farm is evidenced in all that they do from the ready, helpful customer service to the amazing array of activities for families to enjoy. Held every weekend in October, those activities multiply during their yearly Apple Festival event when, in addition to the year round delicious treats and adorable animals, there is music, apple bobbing, face painting, a petting farm, an animal train, wagon rides, and more.

One of the most delightful aspects of the 22 acre property is the old timey country store that sells produce straight from the family garden located a few yards away. It also houses the gigantic wooden boxes of apples, which are all locally grown, new crop, and sell for only $.89 a pound during Apple Festival. One might also pick up a fresh loaf of apple bread, pies, cakes, honey, jams, and, of course, the many, many varieties of doughnuts and pastries.

Lattin’s Pumpkin Patch is an oft visited local favorite and the tractor drawn wagon ride out to the patch is appropriately bumpy and rustic. The patch is large and offers a variety of pumpkins from tiny to gigantic. A year round maze, water pump powered duck race, and Goat Walk also provide ample entertainment for visitors of all ages.

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It all starts with the apples. Local, crisp, and juicy, they become fritters, crisps, pies, and cider at Lattin’s.

When I visited Lattin’s recently with three of my children in tow, it brought back happy memories of my son Charlie’s many birthday celebrations there. Because Apple Festival is such a busy time at Lattin’s, we could never book an actual, hosted birthday party there, but each time I would call to ask if I could celebrate my son at the farm, and bring along twenty or so of his little friends as well, the response would unfailingly be yes. “The more the merrier” seems to be a universally held sentiment at Lattin’s Farm. So, Charlie, my only child to be born in the fall, celebrated his first four birthdays with a candle stuck in a Lattin’s apple fritter and still counts that as his “official” birthday cake.

About those fritters – folks come from far and wide to buy, often in large quantities, Lattin’s famous apple fritters. Aggravatingly addicting, these are not your average, grocery store fritter. Made with fresh, local apples, on site, and all day long, they melt in your mouth with a sugary tartness that leaves you wanting another (and another).  Be sure to call ahead if planning to purchase a large quantity of fritters, especially on a weekend, because they have been known to sell out.

Lattins Cider Mill Olympia Farm (7)If they don’t sell out, they donate any leftover apple fritters (because they would never sell a day old fritter!) to surrounding fire stations as a thank you to the men and women who serve our community. This is typical of the kind, community minded spirit to be found at this family farm.

Though the fritters reign supreme in many people’s minds, Lattin’s is just as revered for their wide variety of ciders and has been using the same, slow, methodical, and supremely effective cider making process since 1976. A cider making venture that began, modestly, so long ago, now uses over 125,000 pounds of apples to produce 7,250 gallons of cider – for a mere three day supply in October. The apple cider, and many other varieties such as blackberry, strawberry, raspberry and spiced, can be purchased straight from the farm or at local stores such as Spuds, Bayview Thriftway, or Ralph’s Thriftway.

Lattin’s Country Cider Mill and Farm is open year round, and the not-to-be-missed Apple Festival begins Saturday, September 27 and continues every weekend in October from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Lattin’s Country Cider Mill and Farm

9402 Rich Road SE

Olympia, WA 98501

360-491-7328

 

Thrifty Thurston highlights inexpensive family fun in Thurston County.  The weekly series focuses on family-friendly activities throughout our community.  If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@thurstontalk.com.  For more events and to learn what’s happening in Olympia and the surrounding area, click here.

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