It’s Time to Get Fresh!
It doesn’t get any fresher than this: Juicy strawberries, still warm from the sun-drenched field. Plump blueberries, straight from the bush. Delicate raspberries, sparkling with dew. Bright yellow summer squash, shiny purple eggplants, brilliant red tomatoes, and so much more, ready to take center stage on your table.
Summer’s arrival in North Central Massachusetts brings with it great opportunities to visit local farms to pick your own fruit or select from bounteous farmstand displays of fruits and veggies. Unlike pre-packaged berries that have been shipped across the country, these are locally grown and fresh as can be! And local roadside stands and farmers markets often offer varieties of vegetables you won’t find in the supermarket: purple beans that magically turn green when cooked; Roma tomatoes for your favorite sauce; hot jalapeño peppers, and more!
Whether you want to spend some special family time picking fruit yourself or are anxious to grab some tasty ingredients for baking or jam-making, opportunities abound here.
Don’t know where to start? Here’s a sampling of pick-your-own farms and farmstands in the region:
Carlson Orchards
Pick your own blueberries, raspberries, sweet cherries and peaches, as they ripen. And don’t forget the 20 varieties of apples! Check their
Facebook page daily to see what’s available, and stop by the farmstand for everything from hard cider to farm-fresh eggs.
Hollis Hills Farm
Love peaches? The
Hollis Hills Farm orchard is filled with the sweet treats from mid-July through August. The pick-your-own season starts in June with a half-dozen varieties of strawberries, and continues into fall.
Lanni Orchards
This family
farm will keep you coming back all summer for strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, seedless grapes, nectarines, plums, pears, apples, Concord grapes…and don’t forget the pumpkins in autumn!
Meadowbrook Orchards
You’ll find apples, blueberries, nectarines and raspberries and more at this
farm run by the Chandler family since 1912.
Red Apple Farm
Red Apple Farm blueberries and raspberries are bountiful in July—and apples actually ripen earlier than you might think! Need a little refreshment? Here’s a tip to entice the kids: The ice cream window is open, too.
Sholan Farms
U-Pick Blueberries, raspberries, apples and more will tempt you here—along with the great view overlooking the city! This volunteer run
orchard usually holds special events throughout the season, too.
