By Rielly Marcotte
Fall is the time of the year that symbolizes comfort for many people. This time of year brings back football, almost everything pumpkin, and most importantly apple picking. So where should you go this year? Well around here most people would tell you to go to The Big Apple located in Wrentham, but we have listed some alternatives to check out this autumn.
- Dame Farm and Orchards
Located in Johnston RI, this little family farm is the perfect place to visit. The farm has been in the Dame family for seven generations and offers picking your own pumpkins at only 75 cents per pound. Picking your own apples is also available including different kinds such as MacIntosh, Cortland, Gala, Honeycrisp, Macoun, Red Delicious, and even some Pears! Apple picking is only $1.75 per pound. Along with their apples, Dame Farm also has plenty of gourds, winter squash, and hardy mums.
Lorry Blasetti, a local from North Attleboro said, “Dame farm is a great place. I take my children there every year.”
- Tougas Family Farm
In Northborough, MA is a little farm that offers pick your own apples, homemade pies for sale, donuts, and even candy apples. The farm offers wagon rides to the orchard for easy access to the picking, and is open 10 am- 5:30 pm. The have a variety of apples including Honeycrisp, Gala, McIntosh, Fuji, and Cortland. Tougas Family Farm also has a barn to look at their goats, and a playground for children making this the perfect location for a fall family day.
Another local resident, Meaghan Toshach, said, “ I went to Tougas a few years back when looking for something new and it’s now a tradition.”
- Phantom Farms
If you drive to Cumberland RI, you might want to visit Phantom Farms. This farm has a unique history. According to the Phantom Farms website, in 1930 it didn’t begin as either a farm or a bakery; instead, it was used to hold secret meetings during the prohibition, hence the mysterious name. Phantom Farms has a cafe filled with their farm-grown goods, ciders, fall treats and homemade pastries.
With their motto of “our family is yours” stated right on their website they make everyone who enters the farm feel welcome and like a family. This is a great local place to travel if you’re looking for apple picking and your classic fall hay rides. From my own personal experience, I think Phantom Farms is one of the best fall locations in the area.
- Cook’s Valley Farm
This farm located in Wrentham has every produce from apples, to eggplants, to herbs. They have pumpkins-a-plenty for carving and baking, and even fresh cut flowers. Their wide variety of produce allow them to go to all kinds of farmers market, and they even have an online market. Their apples are ready and ripe for picking in 10 different kinds!
- Wards Berry Farm
Sharon, MA features a a little family farm that has pick your own pumpkins, and hayrides to the pumpkin fields. They offer a variety of vegetables and fruits varying by the season. Wards Berry farm is a great location if you’re looking for a place that is different than your classic apple picking farm.
North Attleboro High School Junior Gill Cavossa said, “me and my family went last year and they had great pumpkins and the hayride was so much fun.”
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