So is it currently winter or fall? Days like yesterday make it hard to tell. Boston saw nearly 5 inches of snow, shattering the previous October record of less than an inch in a day. It isn’t the first time we’ve seen snow in October, though. Here’s proof: a photo of our staff harvesting apples wearing snow boots, circa that historic winter of 2011. Between the snow yesterday, and the end of daylight savings time tomorrow, we’re all going to … Keep Reading

For the first time, we’re holding a pumpkin carving contest here at the farm! Drop off your best jack-o-lantern by noon on Halloween Day. Our panel of judges will select the top 5 entries, which will each receive a $25 gift card to the farm! Here are the details: Creative, spooky, silly, and “farmy” entries encouraged!

We’re now halfway through October, and pumpkins have taken their rightful seats on the front porches, kitchen tables, mantle places, and lawns of homes all over town. You’ve got your classic “Jack-o-Lantern” pumpkins, comparative giants next to “mini” pumpkins. Both are decorative cultivars whose sole missions in life are to breathe “fall charm” into the world. Their quirkiness, and in some cases downright ugliness (in the ugly-adorable sort of way), makes them endearing. So endearing, in fact, that every year, … Keep Reading

Google “Big Three Apples” if you want to read about rivalries between Apple, Microsoft, and Google. But here on the farm at least, “Big Three Apples” refers to our three most prized pick-your-own varieties: McIntosh, Cortland, and Macoun. If we’re lucky, for a couple magical weekends each year, these apples ripen simultaneously. This happens to be one of those magical weekends! These three apple varieties have more in common than their popularity and their harvest dates. Genetically, McIntosh is a … Keep Reading

No matter where you look . . . whether in old cookbooks, or modern farm catalogues, or random pockets of the Internet … descriptions of apple varieties seem to always assign them to the same main categories: fresh eating, cider, pie, and sauce. Of these, sauce is the most overlooked. Apple sauce is often relegated to the kids’ section of the fridge, or reserved for a once-a-year fall cooking project. But it shouldn’t be! We’re here to tell you that … Keep Reading

What do all the apples below in common? They’re all the same variety! Williams’ Pride. Also, they all taste like fall. These stunning apples turn a deep, purple-tinted shade of red when ripe. Like all summer apples, their season is fleeting. Luckily, however, Williams’ Pride apples ripen successively on the tree rather than all at once, extending their harvest period slightly. That’s why you’re likely to find a range of differently sized and hued apples on the branches right now, … Keep Reading

The Yellow Transparent is an old Russian apple first brought to the U.S. in order to withstand the harsh winters of the midwest. They became a fast favorite in New England, too, where they (ironically) also thrived under hot and humid conditions. They’re beloved for their complex flavor and a smooth texture that lends itself to apple sauce. We have several customers who time their yearly summer apple-picking visit to line up with their peak, likely for that very reason. … Keep Reading