Cider Mill Farm, a rural landmark in an increasing suburban landscape, is suddenly closing its doors without the public getting a chance to say goodbye.
The hands-on farm in Elkridge, where children could milk cows and feed goats, had been expected to open April 8 for at least one more season, before closing in a deal to sell its 59 acres for development.
But in recent days the decision was made to close for financial reasons, causing scheduled tours for more than 2,000 children to be canceled.
"This kills me," said Cheryl Nodar, the farm's general manager, whose job ends Sunday.
James Keelty & Co., a Timonium-based builder, reached an agreement with the family of owner Tom Owens in November to build 94 expensive houses on the highly sought after land.
Visiting the 85-year-old farm has long been a fall tradition for generations of children across the Baltimore region, attracting families and schools with its freshly made cider, pumpkin patches, hayrides and petting farm.
Patrick Merkle, a lawyer for the Owens family, said the developer wants to be able to access the property without people on it, and he estimated that by the fall - the farm's busiest and most profitable season, with 12,000 to 15,000 children visiting - development would be far enough along to make operating the farm's mill impossible.
During the spring and summer, the mill is open only for scheduled tours "for the love of it, not for the money," making its closure necessary to "avoid a hemorrhage of funds," Merkle said.
"We're basically doing it as a community service, and that's wonderful," he said of staying opening during the spring and summer. "But the opportunity to do community service also has a commercial angle to it."
Nodar, who has worked at the mill for 11 years, had been hoping to open the mill next month, allowing the staff and public a chance to give it a proper sendoff.
During the mill's last season, which ended in November, its future was uncertain. Owens, 73, who bought the apple farm in 1970, suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in 2000.
"I was hoping to be able to be the last one to turn the lights off at Cider Mill," Nodar said. "It's hard to not have the opportunity for folks to come out and have it be the last year."
Frances Thomas, an administrative assistant at Mount Hebron Presbyterian Nursery School, said the school was planning to bring more than 80 3-year-olds to the farm, as the school has done for at least the past 10 years.
