The leaves are transitioning into their flashy autumn wardrobe, cider donuts are everywhere, and people are switching from citrusy summer ales to pumpkin spiced lagers—all of which can mean only one thing. It’s high time to pick up some fall fruit from your local farms.
There are lots of reasons to enjoy local, in-season fruit. For one, because it’s picked at peak ripeness and hasn’t traveled thousands of miles to get to you, it’s fresher, which means it not only tastes better but also packs more nutrients. Not to mention that buying fruit from the farms in your community helps to support the local economy.
Fun fact: The fruit from your local farms is often organic, even if it isn’t labeled as such. Applying for organic certification is often too time consuming and expensive for smaller farms, but most of them adhere to organic growing practices regardless.
Since October is the final month of the Northeast harvests, you’ll want to capitalize on the last goods of the growing season. Whether you’re looking for some healthy snacks to keep on hand or plan to bake some fall treats (might we suggest a French apple cake or pear tart?), here’s what’s available at some of our favorite North Shore farms in the coming month.
Russell Orchards, Ipswich
This beloved family farm offers apple picking on weekends and Monday holidays well into October. While the availability can vary depending on what’s popular, you can expect around a dozen different varieties of apples, including Cortland, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Gala, and Ginger Gold.
If apples aren’t your thing, stop by the farm store to shop four to five different varieties of pears grown on the orchard: Anjou, Bartlett, Bosc, and Seckel, to name a few.
For updated information on pricing, hours, and which varieties are still up for grabs, visit the farm’s website.
Smolak Farms, North Andover
“The apple crop looks really good this year,” Smolak Farms owner Michael Smolak told Northshore. “Mother Nature is making up for last year.”
Smolak Farms is known for its impressive varieties of apples, which include dozens of well-known and rarer types. At the Antique Apple Orchard, you’ll find around 20 hard-to-find varieties that are no longer grown for commercial harvest – like Pink Pearl, which is named for its distinctive pink flesh, and Sheepnose, named for its unusual shape. Beyond the selection of heirloom apples, Smolak Farms also offers familiar favorites like McIntosh, Macoun, and Red Delicious at the Bridle Path Orchard, and Cortland and Honeycrisp at the New Section Orchard.
The pick-your-own fields are open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., so consider swinging by on a week day to dodge the crowds. And if you don’t have time for picking, a selection of apples is available for purchase at the on-site farm store.
Check Instagram and Facebook for updates on which fields will be open on any given day.
Gaouette Farm, North Andover
This family-owned North Andover farm specializes in sustainable and organic practices. While the farm doesn’t have an on-site farmstand (or much of a digital presence), you can find its produce at a number of local farmers markets, including Andover, North Andover, Wilmington, and Billerica—the latter of which is open through October 14.
Gaouette’s October fruit selection consists mainly of McIntosh and Honeycrisp apples. Honeycrisps, by the way, are undoubtedly one of the best choices for pies and crisps.
And here’s something to look forward to: Owner Isaac Gaouette told us that next year, the farm will have everbearing strawberries that produce fruit throughout the whole season as opposed to just early summer.
Farmer Dave’s, Dracut, Tewksbury, and Westford
Last year, Farmer Dave’s Dracut orchard suffered a total loss of apples because of the May freeze. But this year, they’re back and boasting incredible size and color.
If you’re eager to pick your own, make a trip to the Dracut location any day between 9 a.m and 5 p.m., or Westford on weekends between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. You can also find Farmer Dave’s fruit at a number of North Shore farmers markets, including Beverly, Newburyport, Salem, Wakefield, Andover, and North Andover. Note, however, that many of these farmers markets end after the first or second weekend in October. (Wakefield runs through October 26.)
Alternatively, you can stop by one of the three farmstand locations—Dracut, Tewksbury, and Westford—which are all open through October and November (Westford closes right before Thanksgiving.) As for which varieties to expect here, Cortland, Macoun, Mutsu, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Fuji, and Goldrush apples tend to be bountiful during October. McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Gala, and Jonagolds peaked in September and will be available into October only until they sell out.
Pro tip: Every Friday, the farm updates the website to share which varieties of apples are available for picking in Dracut and Westford during the coming week.