There is a lot to love about living in New England: lobster, foliage, Pilgrim jokes. To our mind, however, one of the best perks of living in the area is visiting farms every fall. Sure, you can probably go on a haunted hayride or pick apples in Wisconsin, but we pretty much guarantee that the foliage won’t be quite so gorgeous nor the apples exactly as crisp and sweet. There are few pleasures more pure than taking a road trip out to one of the area’s farms and, in that spirit, we present three of our favorites.
•If you don’t have too terribly much time to spare (or are living sans automobile), why not take a trip to Allandale Farm, which advertises itself as “Boston’s last working farm” even though it’s totally in Brookline. Naming issues aside, Allandale Farm is a delight. You can buy products from Allandale and other local farms, get a pumpkin, and, of course, drink some cider. It bears repeating: Allandale Farm is a delight.
•If you have a little more time available, do head out to Lincoln for a trip to Drumlin Farm. Drumlin Farm has some of the best hayrides in town, along with lots of exciting wildlife (including the owl pictured above). It’s a great place to take kids, but we’re not going to lie: it’s also pretty fun for grownups.
•Russell Orchards is a little further off the beaten path than Drumlin or Allandale, but trust us: it’s well worth the trip. Given the current balmy weather, you could well combine it with a trip to nearby Crane Beach. Russell Orchards has plenty to recommend it: lots of animals (including a pig so fat you have to see it to believe it), beautiful foliage, and most importantly, the world’s best cider donuts. We’re not being hyperbolic here. These donuts are truly incredible whether eaten on their own or dipped into a cup of the orchard’s superlative hot cider. Also, they make really good wine. We can’t recommend it strongly enough.
Allandale Farm [Official Site]
Drumlin Farm [Official Site]
Russell Orchards [Official Site]
Crane Beach [Official Site]
