Our local farmstands still have plenty of apples to stock up on, and winter squash to roast, and some also have natural fall decorations. Pumpkins may come to mind first, but the more visually interesting alternative is their cousin, the gourd. Each different than the next, gourds are multicolored, oddly shaped, and festooned with bumps that make them more like works of art than produce. While some gourds are edible when they are young, most are not typically eaten. Over the years, they’ve had many practical uses though, from bowls to maracas, and more recently, as the popular exfoliator known as the loofah sponge, made from the luffa gourd. Gourd fans are everywhere. Over half the states in the country have chapters of the American Gourd Society, which “promotes interest in all activities relating to gourds.” Sadly, there is no Massachusetts chapter.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Apple-picking is over, but the store is stocked with Honeycrisp, Gala, Mutsu, Cortland, Braeburn, Macoun, Empire, Golden Delicious, and McIntosh apples, as well as utility apples. Outside the store, Brookdale Fruit Farm’s tomatoes and Delicata, acorn, butternut, honeynut, and spaghetti winter squash; pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, mini-pumpkins, gourds, and cornstalks. Store is open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Online ordering with curbside pickup is available; see the website for details. Masks are required in the store.
Doe Orchards, 327 Ayer Road, 978-772-4139
Pick-your-own (high on the trees now): Macoun, McIntosh, Empire, Cortland, and Red Delicious. At the stand (easy picking): Honeycrisp, Gala, Cortland, Macoun, McIntosh, Empire, Golden Supreme, and Red Delicious apples.
Open every day 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Masks are required at the stand and in the orchard; handwashing stations available..
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Apple-picking is over. At the store (open only for online ordering with porch or curbside pickup): Honeycrisp, Cortland, Macoun, McIntosh, Ginger Gold, Gala, Red Jonathan, and Empire apples, and mixed varieties of pears. Tomatoes (regular, heirloom, and cherry), kale, collard greens, red leaf lettuce, regular and Japanese eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, hot and specialty peppers, cauliflower, beets, regular and fingerling potatoes, mixed herbs, winter squash, pumpkins, gourds, and cornstalks. Pickup is available (masks required) 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Willard Farm, 218 Still River Road, 978-456-8291
At the self-serve farmstand: Peppers, pumpkins and gourds of all sizes, sugar and Polar Bear pumpkins, and winter squash, including Delicata, Carnival, blue and orange Hubbard, acorn, buttercup, and butternut. 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.
Brookdale Fruit Farm is in Hollis, New Hampshire.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
