While there seem to be more and more sizes, colors, and surface features of carving pumpkins these days, there are still only a few options suitable for baking a pumpkin pie or loaf of bread. Canned pumpkin is the easy way out, but buying a can of pumpkin in October seems downright un-autumnal when there are so many handsome orange fellows hanging around at our local farmstands waiting for someone to take them home.
But not all pumpkins are suitable for baking. The big jack-o’-lantern varieties are excellent as decorations, but scraping out their stringy, watery, tasteless flesh for a pie would result in a confection only its baker could love.
Pies and breads are best made with Jack’s smaller cousin— the sugar pumpkin (also known as a pie pumpkin).The flesh of a sugar pumpkin is more tender and flavorful than that of its decorative relatives. But despite their tender flesh, sugar pumpkins are difficult to carve. Their walls are thicker, which requires more effort with the knife, allowing for only the simplest of designs and the possibility of injury, neither of which will make your children happy. Bake with the sugar, carve with the looker.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, 978-456-3916
Pick-your-own apples is over for the season. Available in the store are Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Macoun, Cortland, Gala, Empire, and Honeycrisp apples, as well as Carlson’s apple cider (regular, Honeycrisp, and Gala). Also in the store are an assortment of winter squashes from Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, New Hampshire.
Store is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Doe Orchards, 327 Ayer Road, 978-772-4139
Pick-your-own Pink Lady, Macoun, Fuji, Golden and Red Delicious, and Cortland apples. At the stand are most of the pick-your-own varieties along with Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Ruby Mac, and three heirlooms: Wickson Crab, Golden Russet, and Hubbardston Nonesuch. Many varieties of gourds and pumpkins are also at the stand, along with Box Mill Farm’s apple cider (with Doe’s apples in the mix).
Stand and pick-your-own are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Good Spirits Farm, 106 East Bare Hill Road
At the self-service farmstand (and adjacent shed) this week: end of the season raspberries, dahlias, and field tomatoes, along with (no-spray) Redfield cider apples, Kieffer pears (an American heirloom, good for baking and canning), tomatillos, winter squash (including acorn, butternut, delicata, crookneck, and honeynut) Russian, Scotch, and Italian Lacinato kale; spinach; pattypan squash. Also at the stand are the farm’s own honey, jams, teas made with the farm’s dried herbs and wildflowers, lip balm, and hand cream. Fresh Chip-In Farm eggs in the fridge.
Self-serve stand is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue, 978-456-8363
Pick-your-own apples; recommended varieties to pick are Empire, Macoun, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, McIntosh, and Cortland.
Available in the store: Empire, Baldwin, Macoun, Honeycrisp, Jonaprince, Red Jonathan, Gala, Roxbury Russet, Golden Russet, Golden Delicious, Ginger Gold, McIntosh, and Cortland apples; Bosc, Asian, and Bartlett pears. Also Westward’s own tomatoes (including heirloom and cherry), lettuce, kale, winter squash, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, beets, cabbage, carrots, mixed potatoes, mixed herbs, and apple cider from Bolton Orchards.
Store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; pick-your-own apples is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Willard Farm, 218 Still River Road, 978-456-8291
218 Still River Road, 978-456-8291
From Cucurbit Farm in Acton: corn, Yukon gold potatoes, yellow and red onions, shallots, garlic, scallions, winter squash (including butternut, honeynut, acorn, and delicata), pumpkins, mini pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, birdhouse gourds, and flowers. Box Mill Farm’s apple cider (made in Ayer using local apples) is in the refrigerator. Willard Farm’s gourds (large and small) and white pumpkins are also available.
Self-service stand is open daily.
All produce listed is Harvard grown unless otherwise noted.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
