Harvard’s peach lovers are in their happy place as the local season continues, but with September on our doorstep, we know those juicy, flavorful treats will soon disappear until next summer. Peaches have one of the shortest shelf lives of any fruit, only about five days (refrigerated) after ripening. During the offseason, grocery stores import peaches from the Southern Hemisphere, but shipping long distances requires picking the fruit early, cooling it immediately to slow down ripening, and maintaining those cold temperatures during transit and storage. That process doesn’t allow the peach to fully develop its flavor and, if not managed carefully, can result in a mealy-textured piece of fruit. A plane ticket to Chile is expensive, so enjoy local peaches while you can!
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own peaches, nectarines, sunflowers, and zinnias. Already-picked peaches, nectarines, blueberries, and flowers are available in the store, along with vegetables (including corn) from Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, New Hampshire. Check Facebook for an updated version of what will be available for picking and in the store each day.
Store is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; pick-your-own is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Doe Orchards, 327 Ayer Road, 978-772-4139
Blueberry picking is over for the season (with the help of a large flock of birds, according to owner Pam Lawson). The tents are down, and the fall stand at the top of the driveway is now open, selling white and yellow freestone peaches, Ginger Gold apples, and sunflowers. Gravenstein and an early variety of Honeycrisp may be ready by the weekend.
Stand and pick-your-own are open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Good Spirits Farm, 106 East Bare Hill Road
At the self-service farmstand this week: raspberries, peaches, pears, tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, turnips, and fresh herbs, including basil. Also the farm’s own honey, jam, herbal tea, lip balm, and hand cream. Fresh Chip-In Farm eggs in the fridge. Also flower bouquets with dahlias, zinnias, and sunflowers.
Stand is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Old Frog Pond Farm, 38 Eldridge Road
Pick-your-own raspberries; pint boxes available at the self-serve stand on the front porch. Also at the stand, certified organic produce, including raspberries, apples, peaches, pears, cucumbers, beans, cherry tomatoes, peppers, and the farm’s own honey, fruit jams, beeswax candles, and herbal teas.
Pick-your-own is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Available in the store: Westward’s yellow and white peaches, nectarines, watermelon, honeydew, mixed plums, Asian pears, and Early Mac apples, along with corn, tomatoes (including heirloom and cherry), lettuce, kale, cucumbers, peppers, summer squash, zucchini, broccoli, eggplant, beets, cabbage, beans, carrots, mixed potatoes, and mixed herbs.
Store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; pick-your-own is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Willard Farm, 218 Still River Road, 978-456-8291
Corn, tomatoes, including plum and cherry, cantaloupe, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, carrots, Yukon gold potatoes, radishes, yellow and red onions, eggplant (traditional and neon Asian), shallots, garlic, and flowers. Raspberries, watermelon, and lettuce are in the refrigerator. All produce and flowers are from Cucurbit Farm in Acton.
Stand is open daily.
All produce listed is Harvard grown unless otherwise noted.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
