What’s in a name? When it comes to apples, some names immortalize the person who first spotted the variety. Three such apple varieties are available at local orchards this week: Ginger Gold was found by Ginger Harvey growing near a Golden Delicious tree in Virginia; McIntosh was named for Canadian John McIntosh, who came across it on his farm while clearing some land; and Paula Red was discovered growing near some McIntosh trees in a Michigan orchard owned by Lewis Arends. He chose to name the variety after his wife, Pauline.
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, white and yellow peaches, nectarines, and Ginger Gold, Paula Red, and Honeycrisp apples, as well as red currants and blackberries from Nourse Farm. Under the tent behind the store, Brookdale Fruit Farm’s corn, pickling cucumbers, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, Carmen sweet red peppers, zucchini, summer squash, sugar pumpkins and “warty” sugar pumpkins, and winter squash including acorn, butternut, delicata, and spaghetti. Pumpkins 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 Honeycrisp, Gala, McIntosh, Golden Supreme, Cortland, and Ruby Mac apples and freestone yellow peaches. Check the website for the latest picking information. All of those are also available at the stand, along with Gravenstein apples and Doe’s tomatoes. 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 Honeycrisp, Liberty, and Jonafree apples, Asian pears, grapes, raspberries, and white plums; Asian greens, basil, beets, carrots, garlic, green beans, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, leeks, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes (slicers, heirlooms, cherry, and paste), and yellow onions as well as the farm’s own raspberry and peach and ginger jams, apple cider, calendula oil, and honey. 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 McIntosh and Cortland apples. At the store: McIntosh, Cortland, Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, and Gala apples, Bartlett pears, yellow and white peaches, mixed plums, strawberries, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, corn, 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, radishes, beets, beans, regular and hot peppers, summer squash, zucchini, potatoes, onions, shallots, mixed herbs, and flowers.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; pick-your-own hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Willard Farm, 218 Still River Road, 978-456-8291
Tomatoes; limited amounts of winter squash, gourds, and pumpkins. Stand is open daily.
All produce listed is Harvard-grown unless otherwise noted.
Nourse Farm is in South Deerfield, and Brookdale Fruit Farm is in Hollis, New Hampshire.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
