It’s that unique time of year when you can visit one of our local farmstands and grab a summer squash in one hand and a winter squash in the other. While some summer crops are over, this week you’ll still find cucumbers, zucchini, peaches, and melons alongside pumpkins, gourds, and butternut squash. This overlap won’t last much longer; enjoy it while you can.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road
Pick-your-own Cortland, McIntosh, Ginger Gold, Royal Gala, and Honeycrisp apples; Northern Spy might be ready by the weekend; check the Facebook page. In the store, peaches, nectarines, and all the apples that are available for picking. Brookdale Fruit Farm’s corn, tomatoes (including organic cherry tomatoes), cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, green peppers, zucchini, summer squash, and acorn and butternut squash. Pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn. Local eggs and mums also available. Store is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pick-your-own hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. www.carlsonorchards.com
Doe Orchards, 327 Ayer Road
Pick-your-own yellow peaches and Honeycrisp, Gala, McIntosh, Ruby Mac, Cortland, and Golden Supreme apples. Three varieties of yellow peaches and all the apple varieties being picked are available at the stand along with Doe’s honey; pumpkins and gourds should be available by the weekend. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.doeorchards.com
Old Frog Pond Farm, 38 Eldridge Road
Pick-your-own raspberries and apples this weekend, Sept. 21 and 22, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Asian pears, red and green Bartlett pears, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, squash, garlic, eggplant, and other vegetables, as well as eggs and Frog Pond’s honey and blueberry jam at the self-serve stand. All produce is certified organic. www.oldfrogpondfarm.com
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue
Pick-your-own McIntosh, Cortland, and Macoun apples. In the store, strawberries, nectarines, and yellow and white peaches, as well as Gala, Ginger Gold, McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, and Honeycrisp apples and Bartlett pears. Tomatoes (regular, heirloom, and cherry), potatoes, lettuce, kale, collard greens, eggplant, Japanese eggplant, broccoli, summer squash, zucchini, mixed-color peppers, wax beans, purple beans, beets, herbs, and fresh-cut flowers. Store is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., picking till 4 p.m. daily. www.westwardorchards.com
Willard Farm, 218 Still River Road
White, yellow, and three varieties of bicolor corn: Java, Providence, and Profit. Tomatoes, including Roma for canning, pumpkins of all sizes, and winter squash, including buttercup, butternut, carnival, delicata, red kuri, acorn, and spaghetti at the self-serve farmstand. www.facebook.com/Willard-Farm
All produce listed is Harvard-grown unless otherwise noted.
Brookdale Fruit Farm is in Hollis, New Hampshire.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
