From the category archives:
Another must on our list of family activities this summer was blueberry picking. Yesterday morning we headed down to C.N. Smith Farm in East Bridgewater, where berries were just bursting off of the bushes!
At C.N. Smith, you pick with their containers, and there is a 3 pound minimum. The blueberry fields are set at the back of the farm, so you’ll need to drive up to them after picking up your container(s) at the front office. [read more…]
{ 0 comments }
I’ve got a long list of things I want to do with the kids this summer, and next in line is strawberry picking! Strawberry season is here Mamas, and it won’t last long. Here are a few farms that we’ve picked at in past years and really enjoyed. If you’ve got another local favorite (or some feedback to share about these farms), please comment and chime in!
Belkin Lookout Farm, in South Natick. Open every weekend from 10am to 5pm. Strawberries available mid-June to early July.
C.N. Smith Farm, 325 South Street, East Bridgewater. Open 7 days a week 9am to 4pm. Strawberry picking open in June.
Ward’s Berry Farm, 614 South Main Street, Sharon. April through December, Ward’s is open seven days a week from 9am to 6pm. Pick your own Strawberries are in season approximately June 15 to July 4.
What will you do with all of your fresh picked strawberries? A house favorite for us is strawberry shortcake. Whip up this yummy strawberry sauce, perfect for topping waffles, ice cream or cheescake (skip the blender if you like yours chunky). Or, make chocolate dipped strawberries for your next get together!
For more information on local pick-your-own farms, visit www.pickyourown.org.
{ 1 comment }
There’s still time to pick your own pumpkins! Here are some pumpkin patches in the area to visit this month:
Belkin Family Lookout Farm: 89 Pleasant Street South in South Natick, (508) 653-0653. Pick your own pumpkins here! The farm is open every day from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
C.N. Smith: 325 South Street in East Bridgewater, (508) 378-2270. Pick your own pumpkins from the field on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.
Nihtila Farm: 12 Nihtila Lane in Holbrook, (781) 767-0213. Pick your own pumpkins Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am until dark.
Sauchuk Farm: 53 Palmer Road in Plympton, (781) 585-1522. Pick your own pumpkins Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Ward’s Berry Farm: 614 South Main Street in Sharon, (781) 784-3600. Weekend hayrides to the pumpkin patch run through October 25th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Hayride cost $3.00 per person for ages 3 and up. Or, you can walk to the patch patch for free 7 days a week (walk is approx. 20 min each way).
Have a favorite pumpkin patch that we forgot? Email us and let us know!
{ 0 comments }
Looking to make plans for the long Columbus Day weekend?
Have more ideas? Email us!
{ 0 comments }
I love fall. Love the weather, love the colors, love taking the cozy fleeces and sweaters out of storage and taking long walks collecting acorns with the kids. Maybe this week isn’t typical fall weather (my kids wore shorts to school today and loved it!) but I’m still in my fall mindset and plan on taking the boys pumpkin picking this weekend. Our usual pumpkin patch destination is Nihtila Farm in Holbrook. It’s a great local family run farm that we’ve been going to for the past 3 years. They provide you with gloves, a plastic knife, and a wagon, and send you into the 3 acre pumpkin patch to choose and harvest your own perfect pumpkin right off the vine. My kids love it!
Pumpkins are available for picking at Nihtila Farm now through the end of October, and on the weekends they have Hay Rides from noon til 5:00pm.
{ 0 comments }
Well, even if it’s not officially fall yet, it’s starting to feel like it here in Southeastern MA, at least at night! One tradition we’ve started with the kids is to go apple picking every September. They sample a few apples out in the orchard (sorry!), then when we get home we sit down with the cookbook and pick out what we’d like to make with our loot! Apple Pie is tops on the list, but I’m partial to apple crisp, and this year we’re going to attempt to make homemade applesauce too!
Some places to consider for your apple picking adventures:
At C.N. Smith Farm in East Bridgewater pick your own Apples starts September 5th and lasts through the end of October. The farm has new hours this season, and will be open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10am to 4pm. See their website for detailed information on when each variety of apple will be available to pick. Be sure to visit them Labor day weekend when they will be giving free hayrides on one of their antique tractors!
Belkin Family Lookout Farm (formerly Marino Lookout Farm) in Natick is open for apple picking now through the end of October. Their website also has a U-Pick schedule, but adds that nature is ultimately in charge, so give them a call to see what’s picking on any given day. Belkin Farm offers a lot of fun extras for the kids. They have a train that takes you through the orchards and lets you off at many predetermined stops, plus a playground nestled halfway through the orchards where you can stop and have snack or some lunch before getting back to picking! They have a moonbounce, caterpillar rides, a burlap maze, and on the weekends they offer live children’s entertainment and face painting too. The farm is open daily from 10am to 5pm. There is an admission fee here, $8.00 per person Monday – Friday, $10.00 per person on the weekends. (Kids under two get in free). U-Pick fruit is an additional $2.50 per pound.
For more U-Pick listings check out PickYourOwn.org, where you’ll find farms organized by county. Happy Picking!
{ 0 comments }
...
