While apples seem to be plentiful at our local orchards this season, it was not a good year for the apple crop. A late spring freeze and an unusually rainy summer and fall translated to a smaller crop and smaller fruit for most apple varieties. Katie Carlson told the Press late-season apples were the most affected at Carlson Orchards, and she listed eight varieties that were either a very small crop or not available at all this year. Doe Orchards co-owner Pam Lawson said Macouns were a full crop, but all other varieties were about a half-crop. Granny Smith, Mutsu, and Ginger Gold were affected more than others. Westward Orchards store manager Stephanie O’Keefe told the Press they had no complete crop losses, but they may have had some lower yields in some of their orchards. She said they were very lucky compared to some of the other orchards in town. Hopefully next year Mother Nature will make all our farmers feel lucky.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own apple varieties for this week are McIntosh, Cortland, and Macoun. Check Facebook for updates. Apples available in the store include Cortland, Macoun, Gala, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, and Paula Red. Massachusetts-grown corn is also available in the store, along with winter squash from Idylwilde Farms, including acorn, carnival, delicata, buttercup, and butternut. Pumpkins and gourds are available outside the store.
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
There are still some pick-your-own apples on the trees; check Facebook or the website for updates. The stand is stocked with Macoun, Cortland, Empire, Gala, Ruby Mac, McIntosh, Fuji, Pink Lady, and Golden Delicious, as well as pumpkins, apple cider, and apple firewood.
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: raspberries, blackberries, field tomatoes, spinach, kale, turnips, and winter squash, including butternut, honeynut, and acorn, along with the farm’s own honey, berry jams, herbal teas, dried herbs, and flower bouquets. Eggs are 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
Closed for the season.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Pick-your-own apple varieties this week are Empire, McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Gala, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious. Available in the store are Westward’s Honeycrisp, Baldwin, Arkansas Black, Roxbury Russet, Empire, McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Red Delicious, and Ginger Gold apples; Seckel, Bartlett, and Bosc pears; tomatoes, mixed peppers, kale, kale sprouts, collard greens, eggplant, beets, carrots, potatoes, onions, 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
