Blackshire Farms is the kind of place that makes you reconsider what a Saturday drive can turn into. A family-owned cidery and orchard in Beaver Creek, Minnesota, it draws visitors from across the region — Sioux Falls included — who come for hard cider and stay for the whole operation.
They press and ferment craft hard cider from European cider apple varieties — the kind of apples bred specifically for cider, not the grocery store shelf. Beyond the tasting room, they operate a working apple orchard, a pumpkin patch, and an event venue that handles weddings and private gatherings with the kind of scenery that doesn't need much decoration.
Locals and regional visitors return because this isn't a themed experience bolted onto a barn — it's an actual working farm that happens to pour well-made cider and welcome guests into it. Pick apples, taste through a flight, book a venue that has actual character. That combination is rarer than it sounds.