Like people, most apple varieties have two genetic parents, and McIntosh has contributed its DNA to many locally grown cultivars. Cortland, Macoun, Empire, and possibly Paula Red and Ruby Mac all call McIntosh mom (or dad), and they all share its juiciness and sweet-tart flavor. Cortland’s other parent is Ben Davis, an early 1800s apple. Empire is crossed with Red Delicious, and Macoun is crossed with Jersey Black, another early 1800s apple. Paula Red was discovered near a field of McIntosh trees, and although its real parents are unknown, its original proximity makes a case for Mcintosh being one. Ruby Mac, discovered in 1999, might be a cross between a Mac and a Rubinstar, although some apple experts say it could be a McIntosh “sport”—a biological mutation of just the Mac. It’s another step in what seems to be the McIntosh’s plan for apple world domination.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own apple varieties for this week are Cortland, Macoun, Ginger Gold, Gala, Empire, Ida Red, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Red Rome, and McIntosh. Check Facebook for updates. Apples available in the store include Cortland, Macoun, Ginger Gold, Gala, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, and Paula Red. Massachusetts-grown corn is also available in the store, along with vegetables from Idylwilde Farms, including tomatoes, green and sweet red peppers, zucchini, and winter squash, including acorn, carnival, buttercup, and butternut.
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 Macoun, Empire, Honeycrisp, Gala, Ruby Mac, McIntosh, Fuji, Golden Supreme, Golden Delicious, and Cortland. The stand is stocked with all of those varieties, as well as pumpkins, gourds, apple firewood, and apple cider from Box Mill Farm in Ayer. Pickers are welcome to take a walk around the farm. Check Facebook or the website for apple variety 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 Golden Delicious and Blushing Golden, with limited quantities of a few others. The self-service farmstand on the porch is stocked with certified organic fruit and vegetables, including apples, Asian pears, green beans, lettuce, peppers, kale, leeks, tomatoes, potatoes, beets, zucchini, winter radishes, basil, and garlic. Also at the stand are fresh-pressed cider, the farm’s blueberry, raspberry, and raspberry rhubarb jams, and fresh eggs from Maplebrook Farmstead in Sterling.
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. This is the final weekend of pick-your-own apples, though the stand will continue to have bagged apples.
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, Gala, Roxbury Russet, Empire, McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, and Ginger Gold apples, Seckel, Bartlett and Bosc pears, watermelon, tomatoes, lettuce, mixed peppers, kale, collard greens, 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
