Any good applepicking or similar experience still available near Boston for this Sat the 18th?

October 17, 2008 9:31 AM

Any good applepicking or similar experience still available near Boston for this Sat the 18th?

We were planning on going to Honey Pot Hill but they are closed for the season as are many others due to the nice weather causing earlier picking.

We considered the Parkers Maple House, but its too far away in NH (about an hour and a 1/2).

Also considered Nashoba Winery but there apple picking is done and it appears their fun brunch activities are only on Sunday.

This is for two couples...so we don't need childrens activities or anything.

posted by UMDirector to food & drink (11 comments total)

Although far away, Dole's Orchard in Limington, Maine had a nice crop this past Monday. And the owner's are very nice folks.

http://www.dolesorchard.com/

I know you wanted to stay closer to Boston, but I just had to mention them because it was a beautiful setting and they were so friendly.
posted by verevi at 9:42 AM on October 17, 2008

I've gone to lookout farm in the past and had pretty good experiences. Give them a call (508–653–0653) and they'll be more than happy to tell you what they have.
posted by bowmaniac at 9:59 AM on October 17, 2008

I tried going to Lookout Farm last weekend and they're low on crop. It's also $14 to get in and $2.50/lb to get produce picked. Kind of a rip off if you ask me.

There's a farm in Holliston. I believe it's called Highland Farm, but at the very lease, it's on Highland St. They also have pumpkins, maize and home-brew wine in you're into that. As of last weekend, they still had apples for the picking.
posted by Gular at 11:12 AM on October 17, 2008

that's weird, I just found this map on the Worcester T&G's web site today:

http://quikmaps.com/ext2/80147

it's mostly geared towards central MA, but there's a whole bunch of locations between Leominster and Marlboro that are well within your driving radius.
posted by xbonesgt at 11:24 AM on October 17, 2008

Should be under an hour to get to Applecrest in North Hampton, NH.

Inspiration for the setting in John Irving's "Cider House Rules" and a great orchard with lots to do with the kids. Hayrides, picking, fresh apple cider doughnuts, some live music on the weekends, stuff your own scarecrow etc.
posted by quarterframer at 11:33 AM on October 17, 2008

Just remember that Honey Pot Hill's store is open daily until Christmas. You MUST go there for some cider donuts.
(My brother, sis-in-law and nephew went last Sunday; the pickings were slim, due to weather and a MASSIVE crowd, but we waited in line for 2+ hours for cider donuts (very unusual) and it was MORE than worth it!).
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 11:51 AM on October 17, 2008

I haven't been in ages, but we used to go picking at Drew Farms, in Westford. Its only about 3 miles from Exit 34 (Boston Road) off of 495.
posted by diggerroo at 1:07 PM on October 17, 2008

Honey Pot Hill is like the Disneyworld of apple picking. I waited in a line of cars last weekend only to chuck it all on seeing the line you had to wait in after you'd gotten out of the car.

Most of the apples are off the trees by now, but we had a lovely time at Carver Hill Farm (down the road from HPH). Many trees have a very few apples up high on the tree (you can find picking poles nearby if you can't reach) and the farm has placed wooden bins full of different varieties throughout the orchard. It's a very untrained orchard (no rows and rows of trees, no trees trained along low wires for easy picking), which I liked a lot. They also have a nice store and a small window where they sell hotdogs and ice cream, with picnic tables nearby. The nicest thing by far was that we just walked around for about an hour and there were only about 10 other people there. A grandmother we talked to recommended Shelburn Farm (also in Stow) for more of a hayride/maze/cider experience.

If you're looking for other places to try, here's the pickyourown.com page for MA.
posted by cocoagirl at 1:09 PM on October 17, 2008

I went to Brooksby Farms up in Peabody last week, and they had plenty of apples left -- they were picking Cortland, McIntosh, and Golden Delicious last week, and they had craploads of Macs, only a few Cortlands, and lots of (very good) Golden Delicious. Don't know what they have this weekend, but they did seem pretty well stocked. Also, they don't really have the whole commerical trams/petting zoos/etc that some places like Lookout Farms have (which bother me... I want to walk to my apples). And their cider doughnuts are excellent.
posted by olinerd at 4:07 PM on October 17, 2008

A little information about why Honey Pot Hill is closed already, as I was at Honey Pot Hill two weekends ago. Earlier in the season the orchard was hit with a hailstorm and lost a lot of apples, one sign stated nearly half a million. Many of the apples still on the trees were dinged from the hail and were not that appetizing. We still went picking and were able to fill up a bag, but we had to search for a while to find nice fruit without many blemishes.

Good luck in your search!
posted by enfa at 11:00 AM on October 18, 2008

I think there's a good place in Berlin, MA still open
posted by Maia at 1:24 PM on October 19, 2008