Farm Fresh: A Season of Local Fruit

~ Real food doesn’t have ingredients ~

If you’re like us, choosing what to feed your family and yourself is a big deal. We want to trust the food we eat and know that it’s good for us and good for our Earth. Our answer has been to get to know our local farmers and the food they grow.

As a result, picking and eating farm fresh fruit has become a way of life for us in our New England village. Luckily, we’re surrounded by local farms that grow fruits and vegetables. We know and trust our farmers to produce quality, healthy, real food.

Many of the farms that dot New England are over one hundred years old, and they add to the charm of the region.

During a growing season that begins with strawberries and extends to apples, pumpkins, and Christmas trees, our local farms keep us supplied with fresh produce and garden plants for much of the year.

In addition to purchase or pick-your-own fruit and vegetables, many farms offer baked goods, cider, honey, and CSA shares.

We appreciate being able sit among the flowers and enjoy coffee, cider, or hot chocolate. Our kids appreciate the cider donuts!

Sipping coffee as we select produce, herbs, and perennials is part of our New England lifestyle.

Picking locally grown produce teaches our children what real fruit and vegetables look and taste like.

It’s fun to pick your own fruit. Kids love the experience, and they love the results.

Pick-your-own at the local farm stand is family life with New England flair!

Start them young!

Strawberries give way to blueberries, which we bake into pies, freeze for the winter months, or gobble up fresh.

It’s really hard not to eat up all the results of your hard work!

Eating seasonally encourages us to seek out the best local produce, enjoy it while it lasts, then look forward to the next harvest.

Our kids love the hunt for the perfect apple. We love turning them into pies, crisps, and cobblers for fall desserts.

Some farms keep petting zoos so that kids and families can learn about animals too.

In the north of Boston region, we frequent the following farms. Many offer festivals, music, food, games for kids, hayrides, birthdays, weddings, farm-to-table dining, and more.

Smolak Farms, North Andover

Ingaldsby Farm, Boxford

Paisley Farm, West Boxford

Nasons Stone House Farm, West Boxford (pot pies, baked beans, and brown bread)

Cider Hill Farm, Amesbury

Crescent Farms, Haverhill (wicked good corn maze!)

Turkey Hill Farm, Haverhill

Get picking!