Above: Summer fruit tastes even sweeter when you pick it yourself.
(images cropped from Facebook top row from Tougas Farms, bottom L-R from Hanson’s Farm, Cordelia’s Farm and Lookout Farm)
Continuing my summer fun series (for kids and adults), I’m reminding readers of local options for picking your own fresh fruit. This time of year always makes me long for fresh blueberries. But if that fruit’s not your jam, maybe another crop is.
[Note: You may get in some picking early this week before the forecast “extreme heat” front moves into our area Wednesday afternoon for a few days.]
There aren’t any pick-your-own fruit options available in Southborough. Fortunately, there are four-five farms just a stone’s throw away that offer Pick Your Own fun over the summer. Below are my updated details for this year’s picking season.
For all of the following PYO/U-pick programs, you should check with the farm that day (or day prior) to ensure conditions are ripe and fruit is plentiful.
If you’re hoping to pick some strawberries before the season is over, your best bet might be Hanson’s Farm on Nixon Road in Framingham. They are currently advertising strawberries for picking this week “Till Gone”. The last online update seemed to be Friday on Instagram (when berries were plentiful) Their website cautions to call ahead for most current conditions (508-877-3058). (I’d heed that advice because they don’t seem to have update their website this summer for the crops beyond strawberries.)
They traditionally offer blueberries, blackberries, and flowers later in the summer, followed by fall pumpkins.
The farm also has a Sunflower Maze starting in August, followed by a Corn Maze and Hayrides in the fall. Other highlights include barnyard animals, cider donuts, and a farm stand (including fruit from other local farms).
Cordelia’s Farm in Berlin is another farm still offering strawberry picking. That season is winding down and “quite slow” and limited as of this morning. But they are still allowing picking today and tomorrow “until picked out”.
For those environmentally minded, its also one of the farms that allows (and even encourages) bringing your own containers.
PYO Raspberries should be available next week, with a second season in early September. Blueberries and flowers are expected to begin mid-July. They also have corn and other vegetable crops (that aren’t u-pick but are farm fresh) for sale over the summer. Plus, they sell vegetable plants for your own gardens.
My family traditionally has enjoyed fruit picking at Tougas Family Farm in Northborough. Of all the area orchards, they offer the most choices of fruits, and therefore the most consistent picking. (We’re apparently not alone in loving the farm, since Newsweek readers ranked it their #1 pick in the U.S. for PYO fruit last year!)
Their strawberry picking is also winding down. (It’s closed today to allow more ripening, which means there should be at least one more picking day left soon.) Right now, it’s their cherry season that is in full swing. (And it looks like the picking is plentiful with at least two varieties.)
Other crops will start ripening this month through the fall in the following overlapping order: blueberries (very soon), blackberries, peaches and nectarines, countless varieties of apples, and pumpkins. To check out what’s picking any given day, click here. You can also follow them on Facebook.
Tougas also has a farm store that starts selling some fruit before there’s enough for PYO, and packaged goodies like fruit butters, sauces and “ready-to-bake” pies made from their fruit. Plus, they have a kitchen selling lunch, cider donuts, baked goods, jams, ice cream, smoothies, etc. Adding to the entertainment (especially for little kids) are tractor rides to/from the fields/orchards, a great playground, and goats to feed. And for the over 21 set, a “Beer Garden” offers adult beverages.
Like Cordelia’s Farm, Nourse Farms in Westborough allows PYO customers to bring their own containers. This farm sounds ideal for raspberry lovers. They have a changing variety of raspberries to pick this time of year through the fall. (The picking is paused today, but they advise checking in tomorrow for updated status.)
Blueberries should be ready sometime next week. (They were unable to successfully field a strawberry picking season this year.) PYO red currants and Cut-Your-Own flower bouquets will be available sometime this month.
Click here for the latest picking report. You can also check out some gorgeous, inviting views of the farm (and cattle herd) on Facebook.
Nourse also grow a lot of veggies that are available for fresh purchase from the Farm Store. (But apparently, not peaches this year.) You can check out the produce schedule here.
You can also enjoy an educational walking trail (covering the farm’s history).
Lookout Farm in Framingham has changed quite a bit over the years. This spring, they promoted that U-Pick peaches will be back this summer, in mid to late July. Although they haven’t advertised it yet, that is sometimes followed by picking opportunities late summer for asian pears, and apples, followed by fall pumpkins. To look for updates, click here.
The farm has a tractor themed play area with an open bounce pad. There’s a fee for admission during picking season. (Until then, it’s currently free.) They also have a restaurant, tap room, their own hard cider, and musical events.
If you have other favorites or suggestions, post a comment below.
And if you’re looking for other fun things to do in Southborough and nearby this summer, click the tag links below.
