As if COVID-19 were not bad enough, other factors are making this an especially tricky year for farmers. Paul Willard reports that corn earworms are the worst he’s ever seen, prompting his “almost ugly corn” display last week. In addition, the drought has left him with a smaller-than-usual pumpkin crop, joining the sparse yield of peppers, eggplants, and cucumbers earlier in the season. In the orchard world, it’s the off-year for apples, which tend toward biennial production—a big crop one year, a small crop the next. Apple trees are not immune to the drought either, and they are producing smaller fruit this year. Some local orchards had hail damage to their apple crops over the summer. And then there’s the threat of a frost this weekend which, if it materializes, would put an end to the sweet corn crop about a month earlier than usual. The bottom line? Buy now. Support your local farms; they will appreciate it.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own apples. Check the Facebook page for daily updates on varieties. In the store, the last peaches and nectarines of the season, as well as Ginger Gold, Paula Red, Honeycrisp, Gala, Early Mac, and McIntosh apples, along with Brookdale Fruit Farm’s corn, tomatoes, green peppers, yellow and green string beans, zucchini, summer squash, Delicata, Carnival, and spaghetti winter squash, pumpkins, mini-pumpkins, and gourds. Store is open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pick-your-own hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Online ordering with curbside pickup is available; see the website for details. Masks are required in the store and the orchard. Handwashing stations available.
Doe Orchards, 327 Ayer Road, 978-772-4139
Pick-your-own McIntosh, Ruby Mac, Gala, Golden Supreme, and Cortland apples, as well as the last variety of yellow freestone peaches; check online for the latest picking information. At the stand, peaches, Honeycrisp, Ruby Mac, Gala, McIntosh, Golden Supreme, and Cortland apples, and Doe’s honey and jam. Open every day 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Masks are required at the stand and in the orchard; handwashing stations available.
Old Frog Pond Farm, 38 Eldridge Road
Pick-your-own fall raspberries Thursday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check the website to make sure patches are open; they may close temporarily when picked out. No pick-your-own apples this year. At the self-serve farmstand on the porch: Certified organic produce, including Asian pears, watermelon, cabbage, kale, beets, green beans, German Butterball potatoes, Bumble Bee and heirloom tomatoes, Bibb and curly leaf lettuce, zucchini, summer squash, butternut squash, sweet peppers, garlic, the farm’s own raspberry jam, and honey in 6- and 12-ounce jars. Masks required at the stand and while picking fruit; children need to stay close to their accompanying adult while in PYO areas; disinfectant available at the stand.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Pick-your-own Macoun, McIntosh, and Cortland apples. At the store (open only for online ordering with porch or curbside pickup): Honeycrisp, Cortland, Macoun, McIntosh, Ginger Gold, and Gala apples, mixed varieties of pears, yellow and white peaches, plums, nectarines, watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe. Tomatoes (regular, heirloom, and cherry), kale, collard greens, romaine and red leaf lettuce, regular and Japanese eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, hot and specialty peppers, summer squash, zucchini, green and yellow beans, cauliflower, beets, regular and fingerling potatoes, shallots, and mixed herbs. Pickup is available (masks required) weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pick-your-own hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Restrictions in the orchard due to COVID-19 are in place; see the website for details.
Willard Farm, 218 Still River Road, 978-456-8291
At the self-serve farmstand: white and bicolor corn, last of the season’s tomatoes, and winter squash, including Red Kuri, Delicata, Carnival, acorn, buttercup, spaghetti, and butternut. Peppers (sweet and hot), cucumbers, and eggplants are still available some days, but are sporadic because of the drought. Masks are required; one person per family only at the stand. Handwashing station available.
Masks and social distancing are requested at all sites.
All produce listed is Harvard-grown unless otherwise noted.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
