Early apples made their debut at a few stands last week, and this week they’re everywhere. Ginger Gold and Gravenstein varieties are available at Doe Orchards, and Paula Red, Honeycrisp, and Ginger Gold are in the store at Carlson’s. Westward Orchards has Honeycrisp in the store, and both Old Frog Pond Farm and Good Spirits Farm have organically grown summer apples. All the orchard owners are saying it’s a good year for the apple crop; the trees are brimming with fruit. Varieties come and go throughout the fall, so don’t miss out on the season openers.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own sunflowers. Ginger Gold apples might be ready for pick-your-own this weekend. Still some pick-your-own blueberries and raspberries. Check the website and Facebook daily for availability. In the store, Paula Red, Honeycrisp, and Ginger Gold apples, as well as sunflowers. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and currants from Nourse Farm in Whately are also in the store, along with peaches from Blue Hills Orchards in Wallingford, Connecticut, and Massachusetts-grown corn, and tomatoes, cantaloupe, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, and Vidalia onions from Idylwilde Farms.
Store is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; pick-your-own is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Doe Orchards, 327 Ayer Road, 978-772-4139
At the stand, Gravenstein and Ginger Gold apples, summer squash, and tomatoes. Limited pick-your-own Gravensteins this weekend. Many other varieties will be ready to pick by the end of August or beginning of September. Customers are welcome to walk around the orchard and check out the crop; owners Pam Lawson and Larry Doe say there is a particularly beautiful crop on top of the hill near the windmill. Pam also emphasized that “the trees within the 10-acre radius of the windmill were mostly unaffected by the cold” from the freeze the night of May 17.
Stand is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, Tuesday through Saturday. Check Facebook or the website for updates.
Good Spirits Farm, 106 East Bare Hill Road, 978-456-8291
At the self-service farmstand this week: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and summer apples, as well as tomatoes, green beans, tomatillos, cucumbers, zucchini, kale, New Zealand spinach, and Patty Pan squash. The farm’s own honey, berry jams, and flower bouquets and chicken and duck eggs from Harvard’s Goose and Hen farm are also available.
Stand is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
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 raspberries, Asian pears, and Pristine apples, as well as carrots, eggplant, garlic, kale, lettuce, peppers, Swiss chard, and zucchini. Also at the stand are the farm’s jams (raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, and strawberry rhubarb), 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. Pick-your-own raspberries is open daily.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Pick-your-own blueberries is over; pick-your-own apples will likely begin after Labor Day. Available in the store: Westward’s blueberries, Honeycrisp apples, strawberries, cantaloupe, snow leopard melon, honeydew melon, tomatoes, corn, lettuce, celery, mixed peppers, summer squash, zucchini, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, eggplant, Japanese eggplant, mixed beans, beets, carrots, potatoes, shallots, cabbage, and mixed herbs. Additional produce from Idylwilde Farms is also available.
Store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
All produce listed is Harvard-grown unless otherwise noted.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
