The number of apple varieties that will be available at Harvard’s orchards over the next few weeks is mind-boggling. Stands tend to sell picked apples by the bag, making it difficult to try out a variety you’ve never had before. Will you like the Mutsu? What will you do with the rest of the bag if you don’t? The best way to avoid that commitment is to pick your own—an Empire here, a Macoun there. You may forget which ones were your favorites by next season, but then you’ll get to do it again.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own Macoun, Fuji, Mutsu, Cameo, and Jonagold apples; check the Facebook page for the latest information on apple varieties ready to pick. In the store, Empire, Cortland, Gala, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Northern Spy, Ginger Gold, Macoun, and Honeycrisp apples, as well as utility bags of Cortland, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh. Under the tent behind the store, Brookdale Fruit Farm’s corn, green peppers, summer squash, zucchini, pickling cucumbers, sugar pumpkins and warty sugar pumpkins, and winter squash including butternut, buttercup, acorn, 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 Fuji, McIntosh, Macoun, Cortland, Gala, Mutsu, Delicious, Jonagold, and Empire apples. Check the website for the latest picking information. All of the pick-your-own varieties plus Honeycrisp are available at the stand, along with cider and honey. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Old Frog Pond Farm, 38 Eldridge Road
Pick-your-own raspberries. At the self-service farmstand on the porch: Certified organic fruit and vegetables, including apples, Asian pears, raspberries, arugula, baby kale, basil, beets, carrots, garlic, kale, leeks, lettuce, mesclun greens, and peppers, as well as the farm’s own raspberry jam. Stand is open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the week, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Raspberry picking is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Pick-your-own Macoun, Empire, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, and Cortland apples. At the store: Empire, Macoun, McIntosh, Cortland, Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, and Gala apples. Bartlett, Bosc, and Seckel pears, yellow peaches, mixed plums, strawberries, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, tomatoes (regular, heirloom, and cherry), kale, kale sprouts, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, romaine and red leaf lettuce, beets, regular and Japanese eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, leeks, beets, regular and hot peppers, summer squash, potatoes, onions, shallots, a mixed variety of winter squash, 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
Possible white and bicolor corn, winter squash, and a few pumpkins and gourds; Wendell Willard reports that pickings are getting slim, but this reporter thinks the corn has been so tasty lately, it’s worth taking the chance to stop by.
All produce listed is Harvard-grown unless otherwise noted.
Brookdale Fruit Farm is in Hollis, New Hampshire.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
