Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Maybe not if you need a knee replacement. But according to a T.H. Chan School of Public Health webpage on the health benefits of apples, studies show they may help prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, mainly because of the antioxidants they contain. In addition, apples can help with weight management. One medium apple contains about 3 grams of fiber, which helps you feel full longer. But leave the skin on—peeling it removes most of the fiber and antioxidants.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own apple varieties for this week are Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, Gala, and McIntosh; pick-your-own sunflowers are also available. Check Facebook for availability of other apple varieties. Apples available in the store include McIntosh, Paula Red, Honeycrisp, and Ginger Gold. Also in the store are sunflowers, along with Massachusetts-grown corn, and raspberries from Nourse Farm in Whately. Vegetables from Idylwilde Farms include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, butternut squash, and Vidalia onions.
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
Pick-your-own apple varieties for this week are Honeycrisp, Gala, Ruby Mac, McIntosh, and Cortland. The stand is stocked with all of those varieties, as well as winter squash, sugar pumpkins, decorative pumpkins and gourds, and apple cider from Box Mill Farm in Ayer. Check Facebook or the website for updates.
Stand and pick-your-own are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Good Spirits Farm, 106 East Bare Hill Road, 978-456-8291
At the self-service farmstand this week: blackberries, raspberries, ground cherries, heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, cucumbers, spinach, green beans, kale, and pattypan squash, along with the farm’s own honey, berry jams, and dahlia flower bouquets, and eggs from Harvard’s Goose and Hen farm.
Stand is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Old Frog Pond Farm, 38 Eldridge Road
Pick-your-own apple varieties this weekend will be Cortland, Chango, Golden Delicious, Nova Easygro, Crimson Crisp, Crimson Gold, Macoun, Florina Querina, Freedom, Red Pippin, and Mutsu. Pick-your-own raspberries continues. The self-service farmstand on the porch is stocked with certified organic fruit and vegetables, including Gala and Honeycrisp apples, Asian and Bartlett pears, green beans, lettuce, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, kale, tomatoes, Swiss chard, summer squash, zucchini, and garlic. Also at the stand are the farm’s blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, and strawberry rhubarb jams, calendula oil, and fresh eggs from Maplebrook Homestead.
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 apples hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends only. Raspberry picking is open daily.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Pick-your-own apple varieties this week are McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, and Gala. Available in the store are Westward’s Honeycrisp, Gala, McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, and Ginger Gold apples, Bartlett and Bosc pears, cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew melon, tomatoes, lettuce, mixed peppers, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, eggplant, Japanese eggplant, beets, carrots, potatoes, shallots, cabbage, and mixed herbs.
Store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, pick-your-own hours are 10 a.m to 4 p.m. daily.
All produce listed is Harvard-grown unless otherwise noted.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
