As the days get colder and the nights become downright nippy, a few summer crops are still kicking around in local farmstand bins. That allows us to cling to summer with just one more ear of corn or to embrace autumn with something warm and comforting, like cinnamon or baked apples. Local varieties in season now that hold up well for baking include Honeycrisp, Cortland, Jonathan, Gala, Fuji, and Empire.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own apples; check the Facebook page for availability and apple varieties ready to pick. In the store, Honeycrisp, Ginger Gold, Macoun, McIntosh, Gala, Cortland, and Paula Red apples. Under the tent behind the store, Brookdale Fruit Farm’s corn, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, summer squash, sugar pumpkins and “warty” sugar pumpkins, and winter squash including acorn, butternut, delicata, and spaghetti. Gourds and pumpkins, including white and mini-pumpkins for decoration are also available. Store is open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pick-your-own hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Doe Orchards, 327 Ayer Road, 978-772-4139
Pick-your-own Macoun, Cortland, Honeycrisp, Gala, McIntosh, Fuji, Empire, and Ruby Mac apples. Check the website for the latest picking information. Most of those varieties are also available at the stand, along with cider, gourds, and pumpkins. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Old Frog Pond Farm, 38 Eldridge Road
Pick-your-own apples and raspberries. At the self-service farmstand on the porch: Certified organic fruit and vegetables, including bags of Bonkers and Green Crisp apples, Asian pears, and raspberries; arugula, Asian greens, basil, beets, carrots, garlic, green beans, kohlrabi, lettuce, leeks, peppers, scallions, cherry tomatoes, and winter squash; as well as the farm’s own raspberry jam, apple cider, and calendula oil. Stand is open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the week, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Apple picking is open Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and raspberry picking is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Pick-your-own Macoun, Empire, McIntosh, and Cortland apples. At the store: Empire, Macoun, McIntosh, Cortland, Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, and Gala apples, Bartlett, Bosc, and Seckel pears, yellow and white peaches, mixed plums, strawberries, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, tomatoes (regular, heirloom, and cherry), kale, kale sprouts, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, romaine and red leaf lettuce, cucumbers, beets, regular and Japanese eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, leeks, beets, beans, regular and hot peppers, summer squash, potatoes, onions, shallots, mixed herbs, and flowers. Pumpkins and gourds for decoration are also available. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; pick-your-own hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Wagon rides to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch weekends 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Willard Farm, 218 Still River Road, 978-456-8291
Winter squash, pumpkins, munchkin pumpkins, and gourds.
All produce listed is Harvard-grown unless otherwise noted.
Brookdale Fruit Farm is in Hollis, New Hampshire.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
