Ever wonder how orchardists know when an apple is ready for picking? This week, when the Press asked Old Frog Pond Farm owner Linda Hoffman what varieties would be available for picking this weekend, she said she would head over to the orchard and report back. What exactly was she doing out there? “I always do a taste test,” she said, “but I also cross-cut the apple and look at the seed color. Light brown and they are not quite ripe—dark brown and they are ready.” She also mentioned skin color, hardness when you bite, and sweetness. “The Macouns are ready to pick!” might not be considered breaking news everywhere, but it’s nice to know it is in some circles..
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own apple varieties for this week are Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, Gala, and McIntosh. Cortlands might be available for picking by the weekend; check Facebook updates. Apples available in the store include McIntosh, Paula Red, Honeycrisp, Gala, and Cortland. Massachusetts-grown corn is also available in the store, along with vegetables from Idylwilde Farms, including tomatoes, green and sweet red peppers, cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, jalapeño peppers, acorn and carnival 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, Fuji, and Cortland. The stand is stocked with all of those varieties, as well as winter squash, pumpkins, gourds, apple firewood, 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, no-spray apples and pears, heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, cucumbers, New Zealand spinach, green beans, kale, winter squash, fennel, and basil, 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, Gala, Golden Delicious, Golden Russet, Nova Easygro, Crimson Crisp (limited), Jonafree, Liberty, Macoun, Red Delicious, and Rhode Island Greening (limited). Pick-your-own raspberries continues. The self-service farmstand on the porch is stocked with certified organic fruit and vegetables, including apples, Asian and Bosc pears, green beans, lettuce, beets, eggplant, peppers, kale, leeks, tomatoes, potatoes, Swiss chard, zucchini, and garlic. Also at the stand are fresh-pressed cider, the farm’s blueberry, raspberry, raspberry rhubarb, and strawberry rhubarb jams, 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, Seckel, 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, mixed winter squash, mixed herbs, pumpkins, and gourds.
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
