A cider mill trip works best when you plan the first hour and let the rest happen. Children get tired and hungry fast, and a muddy orchard row is much more fun with the right shoes. Here is the order that works for most families who visit us at 9252 Currie Road in Northville.

Step 1: Confirm we are open

Our fall store is usually open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but u-pick depends on ripe fruit and weather. Look at Apples In Season or our Facebook page the morning you go. If rain is heavy, call the number on the Contact Us page.

Step 2: Dress for the field

1. Closed-toe shoes or boots. Grass between the rows stays wet long after the rain stops.
2. Layers. Mornings in October are cold and afternoons warm up fast.
3. Clothes that can get sticky. Cider and donut sugar find their way onto sleeves.

Step 3: Pack a small kit

Bring wet wipes, a change of socks for each child, and a cooler bag if you plan to carry cider home. Bags are usually available for picking, though a sturdy basket of your own is handy. Parking is on site and restrooms are in the store.

Step 4: Start at the store, then pick

Go into the store first. Let the kids look at the apples, smell the bakery shelf and see what varieties are out that day. Then ask which rows are open for u-pick. A child who has already tasted a Honeycrisp slice knows what to look for on the tree.

Step 5: Set the ground rules in the rows

• Children stay with an adult between the rows.
• Pick only what you plan to buy, so trees stay healthy for the next guest.
• Twist the apple gently upward instead of pulling down. This protects the spur where next year's fruit grows.
• Skip fruit lying in the grass. It bruises easily and attracts bees.

Step 6: Save the treats for last

Hot donuts and fresh cider are a better reward at the end of the visit than at the start. If hayrides are running that day, they are posted on our page and Facebook. Late in October the pumpkin patch is the final stop, and the pumpkins are often on sale.

A few age notes

Toddlers do best in the first two hours of the day, before lines build up. School-age children like having a job, such as counting how many apples go into a half-peck bag or finding the reddest one. Photos from past seasons are on our Photos page if you want to show them what to expect.