This stanza from the famous New England poet conjures the essence of the cool-weather season, and rows and rows of apple trees with branches laden with their juicy yield. Apple picking has become a favorite New England pastime, with families heading out across the region on Sunday afternoons to fill their baskets and bags with the forbidden fruit. The North Shore has dozens of orchards with all types of apple varieties ready and ripe for the picking. Smolak Farms in North Andover, a pristine agricultural landscape of 107 acres, offers several apple orchards and more than 40 varieties of apples. Macoun, McIntosh, and Cortland apples are just a few types they grow. Owner Michael Smolak planted 20 different kinds of antique apples to help preserve some of these special varieties: Chenango Strawberry, Sops of Wine, Cox Orange Pippen, Sheepnose, and Yellow Newton number among the historical varieties he tends to on the farm. Smolak Farms lets you bag just-picked apples during the season.
Russell Orchards in Ipswich has had a long history as a working farm. In 1920, Dr. Joseph Goodale planted the first trees as a pastime for his son. In the 1950s, the farm was sold to the farm manager, Kenneth Macleod, who operated a popular cider mill on the property—the building can still be seen from the road today. When Macleod retired, a group of neighbors purchased the land to ensure it would stay a working farm. The citizens asked the Essex County Greenbelt Association to write an agricultural preservation restriction that would legally prevent the land from being turned into a development. The Russell family purchased the farm in 2000 and has been growing apples ever since—about 30 varieties, which are harvested from early August through late October. Some favorites are Fuji, Gala, and Ginger Gold. So what do you do with all of those apples? Here’s a sampling of classes on offer to help you be creative with your harvest.
One option is to head to Salem’s Far From the Tree, which will be hosting cider-making classes on Thursday evenings beginning in late September. Owners Denise and Al Snape are committed to using only Massachusetts-grown apples that are freshly pressed to create its one-of-a-kind craft hard cider. They’ll demonstrate how to make the tasty elixir at home. The couple practices a 250-year-old method and typically uses Cortlands, selected for their acidity, sugar, and tannins. So when you are in the fields and contemplating making cider, keep your eye out for the Cortland rows. farfromthetree.com
Looking for a recipe that’s a little tamer than hard cider? Head to The Trustees of Reservations’ Appleton Farms in Ipswich for its Appleton Cooks! program, held in its state-of-the-art farmhouse kitchen. Learn how to make homemade applesauce and cinnamon apple chips with your little ones. The program also teaches kids where our food comes from and the importance of sourcing locally grown produce. The apples for the program come from local farms across the North Shore.
This program is designed for families with children aged five to 10. The class is $20 for a family with a membership and $30 for a family without a membership. thetrustees.org
Eurostoves showroom in Beverly offers cooking classes held by professional chefs throughout the year in lively, entertaining classes that welcome all levels of cooking expertise—from the novice to the home chef. This fall, check out its Cooking with Fruit and Autumn Dinner Party courses and learn how to make apple pumpkin soup and fennel apple slaw among other savory and sweet dishes. Eurostoves also offers baking classes with seasonal desserts such as apple cobblers, pies, crumbles, and cakes.
Classes are $75 per person.
eurostoves.com
A true foodie and locavore, chef Carolyn Greco offers hands-on cooking classes, farm harvest workshops, and chef demonstrations. This September, she is bringing her Apple Orchard class to Kitchen Local in Amesbury and Whittier Tech in Haverhill. To celebrate the season, and of course its yield, Greco will create a complete menu including both sweet and savory dishes using fresh-picked apples from local farms. Along with hands-on cooking and culinary instruction on tips and techniques, she’ll have an apple sampling for tasting popular and heirloom varieties, and she’ll discuss which of them are best for eating and cooking. The class ends with a wonderful harvest meal featuring the favorite crop of the autumn season. Classes are $68 per person.
carolynsfarmkitchen.com
Orchards
Explore the North Shore’s bountiful orchards and farms this autumn. Spend the day filling a few bushels, getting rosy cheeks, and enjoying the crisp fall air and warm sun. You will be guaranteed a good night’s sleep after an adventure in the orchards.
Boston Hill Farm
North Andover
Boston Hill Farm offers McIntosh, Cortland, and Macoun apple varieties so you’ll have plenty of fresh apples for homemade pies, jellies, or apple cake. The farm also offers hayrides, ice cream, a bakery, and a petting zoo.
1370 Turnpike St., N. Andover,
978-681-8556, bostonhillfarm.com
Russell Orchards
Ipswich
Jersey Mac and Pristine apple varieties are brimming over at Russell Orchards. While there, taste their original hard cider and unique fruit wines made on the premises. Russell’s barnyard animals are almost as popular as its cider donuts, which are baked from scratch and satisfy everyone after a day of apple picking in the orchard.
149 Argilla Rd., Ipswich,
978-356-5366, russellorchards.com
Brooksby Farm
Peabody
An abundant selection of orchard-ripe apples are available at Brooksby Farm. Its shop also offers fresh-baked cider donuts, homemade fudge, jams, honey, fresh pies, and other baked goods made on the premises. Its barn is home to llamas, pigs, goats, and sheep.
54 Felton St., Peabody,
978-531-7456, brooksbyfarm.org
Long Hill Orchard
& Farm
West Newbury
Long Hill Orchard & Farm offers pick-your-own apple, peach, and pear orchards. Pack a snack or lunch and enjoy a relaxing time in the farm’s peaceful setting at one of the picnic areas. Tractor-drawn hayrides are available during the pick-your-own season. McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Ginger Gold, Empire, Royal Gala, Cameo, Jonagold, Crispen, Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Ida Red, Northern Spy, Red Rome, and Baldwin apples are all found in the fields.
520 Main St., West Newbury,
978-363-2170, longhillorchard.com
The Farmer’s Almanac offers sage advice before heading out into the fields: Harvest patiently and harvest at the fruit’s peak perfection. Pluck your apples when their background color is no longer green.
Different apple varieties mature at different times, so the harvest season can stretch from August to October.
At this point, the stem should part readily from the branch when the fruit is cupped in the palm of your hand and given a slight twist around, then up.
If the apple is overripe and soft, use for cooking!
Apples keep well for about six months at temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
10 Antique Apple Varieties
Grown at Smolak Farms
Chenango Strawberry
Known by many as the Strawberry, it is excellent for everything from eating to cooking. It’s shape is long and conical, and its coloring is yellow with red stripes.
Sops of Wine
This is one of the oldest types of apples known, having originated in medieval England. Highly regarded for cooking, cider, and apple wine, it is also a good dessert apple.
Sheepnose
The fruit is large and oblong and resembles the snout of a sheep. The sweet yellow-fleshed fruit is good for baking and stores well.
Macoun
The Macoun apple is a cross between McIntosh and Jersey Black apples from Geneva, New York. It was developed in 1909 and introduced in 1950, and is an excellent all-purpose apple.
Gala
Gala apples were developed in New Zealand. The Gala apple is considered another premium dessert apple.
McIntosh
The McIntosh apple was developed in Ontario, Canada, in 1798 and has a
distinct perfume-like aroma.
Cortland
The Cortland apple was developed in Geneva, New York, in 1915. It is a cross of McIntosh and Ben Davis apples.
Granny Smith
This popular apple came from a seedling grown from apples owned by Mrs. Thomas Smith of New South Wales, Australia. It is large, bright green, crisp, and juicy. Suitable for cooking, cider making, sauce, and dessert.
Yellow Newton
This apple is so historically delicious that Queen Victoria lifted the tax on its import. Thomas Jefferson documented in his notes that he had planted grafts of this apple at Monticello. This apple is good for cider.
Northern Spy
The Northern Spy apple originated in New York in 1800 and is an excellent cooking apple. It stays crisp and juicy for long periods in storage and has a tart, aromatic taste.