Time's ripe to pick apples at these Central Mass. orchards

Tatum Goetting, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
·4 min read

Fresh hot cider, crisp apples and cider doughnuts are all staples for fall. Central Massachusetts offers many pick-your-own apple orchards. Find your perfect fall with this list of apple orchards in Central Massachusetts. Break out those cobbler recipes, it's time for apple picking.

Berlin Orchards is located at 310 Sawyer Hill Road in Berlin. This farm grows seven varieties of apples a year. To take apple pickers into and out of the orchards, tractors and wagons will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day until Nov. 1.

Brookfield Orchards is located at 12 Lincoln Road in North Brookfield. Due to the frost it experienced last May, Brookfield Orchards is not hosting customers to pick their own apples. They do have apples in their store, which also includes a bakery and consignment section.

Carlson Orchards is located at 115 Oak Hill Road in Harvard. The orchard offers three different types of apples for apple pickers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. The orchard also has pumpkins and gourds available.

Kelsey White of Holden and her daughter, Finley, 1, find a nice honeycrisp apple at Tougas Family Farm on Wednesday in Northborough.
Kelsey White of Holden and her daughter, Finley, 1, find a nice honeycrisp apple at Tougas Family Farm on Wednesday in Northborough.

Clearview Farm is located at 4 Kendall Hill Road in Sterling. It offers 15 varieties of apples along with pumpkins.

Doe Orchard Farm is located at 327 Ayer Road in Harvard. It offers apple pickings from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.

George Hill Orchards is located at 582 George Hill Road in Lancaster. The orchard is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Mondays and Saturdays.

Marguerite Demers of Worcester and her son, John, of South Kingston, R.I., search for golden delicious apples at Tougas Family Farm on Wednesday in Northborough.
Marguerite Demers of Worcester and her son, John, of South Kingston, R.I., search for golden delicious apples at Tougas Family Farm on Wednesday in Northborough.

Hollis Hills Farm is located at 340 Marshall Road in Fitchburg. It offers apple picking from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. There is also a bar and kitchen open every weekend at noon.

Hyland Orchards offers apple picking starting at noon every Saturday and Sunday. It is located at 3 Lake Road in Fiskdale. The orchard offers more than 10 different types of apples. Also on weekends, it has a bar that opens at noon, offering craft beer, cider, wines and sodas.

Lanni Orchards is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The orchard grows 20 varieties of apples at 294 Chase Road, MA-13, Lunenburg.

Meadowbrook Orchards is located at 209 Chace Hill Road in Sterling. This farm grows eight varieties of apples and is open 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday and from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.

Nashoba Valley Orchard and Winery offers apple picking from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. This orchard has nine different types of apples for people to choose from. It is located at 100 Wattaquadock Hill Road in Bolton.

Nicewicz Farm is located at 116 Sawyer Road in Bolton. It offers 14 varieties of apples. Nicewicz Farm also has apricots, nectarines and cherries.

Phil's Apples is located at 24 Prospect Hill Road in Harvard. This farm grows six different varieties of apples and peaches. They are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Ragged Hill Farm is located at 94 John Gilbert Road in West Brookfield. This farm offers fresh apples, cider, peaches and pears every day. It offers 15 varieties of apples in October. It is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day.

Red Apple Farm grows over 50 types of apples. The farm is located at 455 Highland Ave. in Phillipston and is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Schartner Farm will not be doing apple picking this year due to the amount of rain it received, the lack of sun and the frost during the early spring. Instead, it will have a beer garden open from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. It is located at 279 West Berlin Road in Bolton.

Sholan Farms is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Located at 112 Pleasant St. in Leominster, this farm, which is owned by the city of Leominster, offers five types of apples for apple pickers.

Stowe Farm offers apple picking from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekend until Oct. 29. It is located at 15 Stowe Road in Millbury.

Tougas Farm offers apple picking from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at 234 Ball St. in Northborough. The farm grows over 30 varieties of apples. Apple picking will be available until the end of October.

Westward Orchards is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 178 Massachusetts Ave. in Harvard. Apple picking will be available until Oct. 22.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Central Mass. orchards offer pick your own apples