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‘Keeping The Press Going’

Famed Busti Cider Mill Is Now Under New Ownership

The cider mill was built in the 1890s, acquired in 1983 by Robert and Judy Schultz. Submitted photo

BUSTI — A local landmark has new ownership.

The Busti Cider Mill has been purchased by Todd and Michelle Walker, who are planning on making their grand debut at the Busti Apple Festival Sunday.

“We are trying to keep in the same traditions as the Schultz family,” Michelle Walker said. “We’ll be keeping the 1800 (cider) press going. We are going to add some things for sale up front, like our grass-fed beef. The mill was part of the community, so we wanted to keep it alive. We think it’s important to keep the mill open and accessible because we are now part of the community.”

The cider mill itself was built in the 1890s, though Robert and Judy Schultz acquired it in 1983 when it was in disrepair. The father and son team fixed up the building, and Schultz passed on the mill to his grandson Andy in 2017. When Robert Schultz first bought the mill, the roof had collapsed.

“It looked interesting,” Robert Schultz said. “I liked old machinery, and it was filled with old machinery.”

The Busti Cider Mill, previously owned by the Schultz family, has been bought by the Walker family after the mill went up for auction in August. “We are trying to keep in the same traditions as the Schultz family,” Michelle Walker said. P-J photo by Jordan W. Patterson

Andy Schultz made sure the press was in tip-top shape while he owned the mill, which also has an antique shop in the front where cider is sold. Andy Schultz said the mill uses UV treatment to kill bacteria in the cider instead of pasteurization, which makes it taste fresher, and no preservatives are added to the cider. Under the Schultzes’ care, the mill had produced around 5,000 gallons of cider annually.

“My grandson, Andy, had a full-time job, so he couldn’t always be at the mill,” Robert Schultz said. “I’ve been retired for a long time. I can’t move like I used to. So we put it up for auction in August.”

The mill was bought a month ago by the Walker family, who also own an angus beef farm in Panama. Michelle Walker said her entire family helps out with both the farm and the mill. The Walkers’ daughters help run the farm, with one daughter, Tiffani, maintaining the Facebook page. The Walker’s son works the press in the mill.

Along with cider, apples, squash, grapes, pumpkins and any in-season produce are sold. The family is planning to sell beef from their farm.

“When the mill came up for auction, we jumped at the opportunity,” Michelle Walker said. “We thought it was the perfect way to sell the beef. This is opening the market to get fresh, local products to consumers at a reasonable price.”

Walker said she’s hoping to expand on the cider. At the moment though, the family is keeping busy with running the mill and getting things to a normal schedule. The mill has sold its cider at the Apple Festival for years, and Michelle Walker wants to keep it that way. Afterward, Michelle Walker said she hopes to start running the custom press tours the Schultz family used to give.

“The Schultz family has been a tremendous help to us,” Michelle Walker said. “They’ve been helping us get on our feet. They’re kind of guiding us so we can keep their traditions alive.”

The Busti Cider Mill & Farm Market is open 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. The mill is at 1135 Southwestern Drive in Busti.

The Apple Festival will be taking place Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Lawson Road, where the Busti Historical Society is located. Proceeds from the festival and the society’s other events will be used toward funding the restoration and repairs of the Miller House and filling it with Victorian-era pieces. Proceeds are split between the society and the Busti Volunteer Fire Department.

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