As the forests light up with the fiery colors of fall and a chilly breeze replaces the stifling heat of summer, the urge to soak up the last warm rays of sunlight grows stronger and stronger. When I think of ways to enjoy the pleasant New England autumn, apple picking lands very high on that list. Traveling just 15 minutes from Westford Town Common brings you to Doe Orchards, a farm in Harvard embodying autumnal beauty and fall bounties. The orchard is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers 13 varieties of apples as well as pumpkins and apple cider.
I visited Doe Orchards on a bright, windy Saturday and was immediately struck by the beauty of the rows of low, leafy apple trees speckled with gleaming greens and reds, all surrounded by towering evergreens and vibrant maple and oak trees. There was ample space to park, and it was an easy, short walk to the farm stand where I was able to choose between a $25 bag for a peck of apples or a $40 bag for a bushel.
Immediately after walking into the orchard, there are numerous trees bordering the pathway full of fruit which were easy to reach and pick. For harder to reach apples, there are plenty of complimentary apple pickers located next to the stand.
The pathways between the rows of trees were very well tended and comfortable to walk across, with a clear gravel walkway connecting the different sections of trees. I started by picking McIntosh apples which were sweet and slightly crunchy with a mild tartness. Rather than being organized into strict rectangular sections, the trees were often lined up in rows in less defined patches, leading to a sense of exploration as I walked through the rows of McIntosh and arrived at a few rows of Pink Lady apples.
The Pink Lady apples were some of the most vibrant apples I had ever seen with an electric, almost neon, light red coloring. They were also my favorite tasting apple due to their strong tangy flavor and a powerful sweetness. Biting into one was like tasting a green apple candy with the satisfying crispness of a perfectly ripe apple.
Finding my way back to the gravel trail, I walked to an area with multiple varieties close together where I picked Golden Supreme apples which were sweet, mild, and had a softer texture than the other apples.
Next to the Golden Supremes were also Joanagold and Granny Smith. The Granny Smith apples only ripen in late October, but the huge Jonagold were abundant on their trees. They were less tangy than the Pink Ladies with a similar powerfully sweet flavor.
By the end of my picking, my bag was full of beautiful apples. Although the bag was able to hold the weight of the apples, the single plastic strap struggled to support the weight of the peck. I ended up picking about 25 apples which definitely made the price for a peck worth it as all the apples were large and high quality. Multiple large rocks and flat, open areas were also scattered around the orchard and made for excellent places to sit down and enjoy the scenery.
The rows were marked on the ends by small signs and colors on the tree trunks, but it was difficult in some areas to identify the apple variety without the use of the map on the website. However, there was not a single apple that I tasted from the picking that I disliked, so in my opinion, if you enjoy apples, you can’t go wrong with any of the varieties at Doe Orchards. Alternatively, the farm stand offers bags filled with one specific variety of freshly picked apples at $13 for ½ a peck and $25 for a peck if you happen to have one favorite type.
The website is very helpful to check before going to the orchard as it lists the times at which each type of apple is ripe and the areas where they can be found. Doe Orchards also grows peaches, blueberries, and Balsam Fir trees for people to harvest at various times during the year.
Charming scenery, plenty of room to stroll and enjoy the fall weather, and consistently delicious apples all make Doe Orchards an autumn paradise. Their well maintained walkways and openness to leashed pets makes the orchard an excellent place to embrace the fall weather with the entire family and pick tons of flavorful apples at a fair price.
