Shelburne Farm

3.6 (141 reviews)

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Shelburne Farm - Farms Near Me - Stow, Massachusetts

Shelburne Farm - Cider Barn Menu - Farms Near Me - Stow, Massachusetts

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Nikita S.

Had a great experience at this farm on a Sunday in the middle of September. We came with a group of about 10 during Covid, and were able to walk in to the orchards without a reservation and all pick together which was a perk (masks required and good distancing between groups). There was a good variety of apples, even early in the season, and several that were clearly very ripe. There were only a couple trees of peaches left, but the ones we were able to grab were also ripe and delicious. The pricing is a little bit expensive, especially compared to some other local orchards. We paid $27 for a one peck bag. The highlight of the experience, as per usual, with the Apple cider donuts. We grabbed a half dozen of both plain and the sugared kinds, and they had clearly just been made and melted in your mouth. We also picked up some apple cider which was also very tasty. We really wanted to try the pink peach lemonade, but unfortunately they were sold out. Another nice addition was a food truck that was available for those who wanted something heartier or something savory. The farm store had a couple different kinds of apples that weren't available for picking, as well as local honey, maple syrup, and cheese. Overall, we had a great fall afternoon here!

Michelle C.

Haven't been here in years and this place has really changed...for the better! - more kids activities. $10 Fun Pass access to bouncy house, tractor pedals, animals, hay ride, play area - nice clean bouncy house - 5 kids for 5 min - more seating with covered picnic benches - kids playground with slides, water pumps and bunnies - animal area with goats, a donkey & I think lamas? We also saw free ran free chicken and baby bunnies - live music - lots of port-a-potty's with foot pump sinks and soap - individual hay ride $2/per person - wonderful warm cider donuts and these things are light, fluffy, sugary and fresh! I like these best because they are not dense like you get at other farms. - The store has apple cider, pies, baked goods and other little trinkets The only downside is the parking. Going at peak weekend is rough. Go early!

Bea T.

I love picking apples here... you have so many varieties of apples. The line was fairly long but we made it and just had fun . There was a little market there so I grab the pumpkin bread and an apple pie and didn't have a chance I had the apple cider donuts but that's okay. it was just very picturesque and what was interesting is they also had food trucks for people who just want to come and grab some lunch. They had a little zoo with a donkey, alpaca, and a goat. You can also pumpkin pick. Great place for all ages.

Raymond C.

Great vibes, family friendly. Lots of parking and things to do. I came here late season so didn't do any of the apple picking but instead indulged in their cider donuts, cinnamon donuts and cold apple cider. Donuts were warm and freshly made, they sold pumpkins and other assortments of treats. Best part was the ambiance: sitting by a farm to enjoy a cup of cider, eat some donuts and converse with friends. They also have plenty parking and portable toilets and available. I will definitely be back to plan which weekends to come. From my reading, each week from as early as July to end of October is harvest/prime time to pick certain fruits. So be sure to check their website to see when's the best time.

Ivanna S.

Stopped by Shelburne Farms to go apple picking and it was PACKED! Luckily, the orchards are big enough so you are spread out but both the parking lot, line for entrance and line to order apple cider donuts were filled with people. Everyone I saw was wearing a mask but so many people weren't following the 6 foot social distancing rules. The farm had a few different food trucks as wells as apple cider donuts for sale and another area for all the only fall treats they make in their store. The orchard was big enough but alot of apples were on the floor and it somes areas it was barren. But, overall we were able to walk away with super yummy apples and a bag full at that. You just have to do a little digging. The Apple cider donuts were super delicious! My highlight of the trip and really what made it worth it. If you ever visit make sure to grab some.

Adamma B.

Social distancing is enforced slightly though people try to push it when in food lines. Otherwise they have staff going around the farm watching for people not using masks etc. I did notice many people still eat apples while picking which I think is fine and most people put their masks back on when they see strangers approaching. Most people stay far away from other groups but I did notice some groups bigger than 10 people. The apples were delicious and there were plenty of kinds to pick. At the time I went there were no peaches or Asian pears. I noticed there was an abundance of apples on the ground under the trees which is no fault of the farm but I assume people are picking apples and throwing them on the floor. That made it hard to get bigger apples because the only ones available for some of the trees were at the very top of apple tree and there aren't many ladders available. Also be careful to sanitize after using the ladders, I didn't notice staff sanitizing them. The shop was full of lots of desserts, apples, cider, popcorn, and donuts! I recommend the donuts and the desserts as I loved every single one I bought. I personally got: kettle corn, apple cider, apple cider donuts, mulled cider, and caramel apple cake. The caramel apple cake seems like a pound cake made with real apples and topped with a caramel glaze. It was delicious and you can really taste the apple pieces inside the cake, it is soft and moist even up to a week later. Definitely a sweet dessert but not artificially sweet. The kettle corn was great but isn't made on site if you are looking for fresh popcorn. Still tasted amazing, salty and sweet. Apple cider donuts are made fresh and you can only buy one dozen per customer so if you want more than that you will have to get back in line. Definitely worth the wait! They are so sweet and soft, I loved the donuts with cinnamon sugar but they have a plain option in case you can't handle all the sugar topping. You can also get half plain and half with the sugar topping. The apple cider has to be bought in the shop but ask for cups if you want to drink while on the farm. Tasted great! You could tell it is fresh and made only of apples, not too sweet and not too tart. The hot mulled cider: This was my first time trying mulled cider and it was not what I expected. I assumed it just would be hot cider but it has some seasonings in it, so be aware of that. Seemed like typical fall seasonings but it was very strong, almost a little bitter at first. After getting used to the seasonings inside it was pretty good but I wish there was an option to just have warm cider.

Cristina R.

Peaches on the brain, we scooted over to Shelburne Farm in Stow on the sunny Saturday of Labor Day weekend. When we arrived, the staff explained that we could choose from one of 2 sizes of bags for apples (peck or 1/2 peck) or a basket for peaches. We'd read on their website that Asian pears should be good to pick as well, but unfortunately they weren't quite there yet. We were a little disappointed that we couldn't mix the fruit (decisions are hard!) but decided to commit to the peaches ($23 for the bushel) since apple season was just getting started (we can always come back!). Upon entering the orchard, a very friendly employee explained where to go to find the peaches and also that they had been struck by an unfortunate hail storm, so much of the fruit had holes in them from the hail, not from insects. We then trudged into the fields, past the apple trees, on our way to the back where the peaches were. We could pick two peach varieties: yellow and white. The fruits varied in size and ripeness, and although many did have hail holes, they were otherwise very good. We were able to find a solid amount of near-perfect ones to pack in our basket, which holds about 8 pounds. After storing our peachy treasures in the car, we wandered over toward the farm store to sample the cider donuts and listen to some live music. The cinnamon & sugar cider donuts were good, although I would have preferred them to be served warm. They also offer peach bars, apple crisp, cider, and ice cream to order & had a grill set up with hot dogs and burgers. The music, families, and animals made the area very lively and hospitable. Inside the store, you'll find cookbooks, jams, baked goods, and other autumnal treats. If you want to feel a little like a farmer, without all of the real work, head over to Shelburne and pick yourself silly!

Rocky W.

I went here about two weeks ago to go Apple picking with my family and we had a blast! This place is awesome! We came on a Sunday and it wasn't too crowded. Pros: They had a wide variety of apples with 17 different tree types to pick from. The employees were helpful in asking any questions I had such as what apples were the softest and where each type of apple tree was. My favorites were the Golden Delicious and Red Delicious. For the kids, they have an animal farm, a jump castle, and a small playground area. If you're hungry, they have an Apple shop where you can buy anything apple related e.g. apple pies, apple cider, pre-picked apple bags. There's also a tent that serves food like hamburgers and hotdogs. Across from that is the main store that sells the infamous awesome fresh apple donuts which I do recommend, grilled food (hamburger, sausage, grilled cheese), and dessert like caramel apples and apple ice cream. They have a lot of picnic tables that you can sit it and relax to the live music. Cons: It was roughly the middle of Apple-picking season so there are now less variety than before. There were also a lot of apples just rotting on the ground due to bug marks or people just discarding them. I would say maybe 1/10 apples that I picked would be free of any insects or holes. There are also A LOT OF BEES! This can't be helped, but be aware of them. Also, it would have been helpful to have ladders to get the high hanging fruit since most people got the lower ones, but I couldn't find them anywhere. Advice for anyone going Apple picking for the first time: Bring napkins and water! The apples are fresh from the tree so you need to wash and clean them up before you take a bite. Also, I recommend long sleeves/pants due to the bees. The question is always here vs Honey Pot Farm. For my family, we chose here because I think this place is a good price because of instead of charging individual entry prices like Honey Pot, this place charges by the bag ($20 for a small bag, $30 for the large bag). This can work to your advance if you're bringing a lot of people. We got the big one and we probably took home like over 20 lbs in apples! Moreover, I went with my grandparents who have trouble walking so it helped that the apple trees are closer here to the parking lot than Honey Pot. There's also more variety of apples here vs Apple Pot. However, I think Honey Pot wins when it comes to the quality of the apples. For us, this was just for fun and the experience.

Eva T.

The family went to pick peaches for a peach cobbler I'm planning on making and we've decided to go to a farm that was less crowded. Shelburne was perfect! We went on a Sunday late afternoon, and the peaches were plentiful and juicy. The ppl were nice, and the hay ride was nice, peaceful and scenic. Of course we had to start the end of the Summer (almost Fall) with apple cider donuts and apple cider. It was delicious, and the little shop had the best smelling soap by 62 soap! The girl behind the counter was so nice and super sweet to my 4 yo son who was rather rambunctious, hence I bought more stuff bc she was so awesome! Can't wait to come back for apply picking season in the fall of 2021. As long as there isn't that many ppl, and ppl who work at the farm are friendly, my family and I will definitely make a few more trips here before the winter begins. Thank you!

Handy guide! Tons of variety at this farm including heirloom apples!

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Becky K.

17 years ago

I love Shelburne Farm! I went there with some of my friends a few weekends ago on a Saturday. Now let me tell you, we had been warned by many people about how busy apple orchards can get on the weekends. We got there and we were efficiently directed to their huge parking lot. We decided to pick apples first. The bags were pretty expensive, but running a seasonal farm is also extremely expensive so I understand the prices. The apples we found were delicious! They were pretty far in the back of the orchard so we got a great walk. It's beautiful out there. Next we went to the apple shop. They had such a good selection of fudges, apples, ciders, pies, ice cream, donuts, coffee, the list goes on! The line was pretty long but the system that they had set up was pretty intense. They had ropes out for the line and employees were taking orders while we were waiting in line, which was extremely efficient. We paid and waited a little longer for the food to be ready. The employees are working like crazy in that store, let me tell you! It's pretty small in their kitchen but it is a small rural farm and not McDonald's, so what could you expect? I also noticed that the cider is from a different farm so I asked someone about it. They told me that they take all of their own bad apples and drive them to a neighboring orchard where it goes through a press and is bottled. Shelburne's apples, Shelburne's cider... The employees were mostly teenagers but were so friendly and knowledgeable. My friends and I were very impressed. As we drove out, the girl who was directing traffic by the entrance smiled and waved goodbye to us. It was a great way to end a great day :) read more

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Allison S.

11 years ago

Lines can be long some times but waaaaayyy better than honey pot. Always can find a good selection of apples without having to hunt them down. Another good thing is that they hire students ages 13 and older so you'll see a lot of local kids working there. The donuts are much better than honey pot's because they are lighter and less greasy read more

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Beth A.

9 years ago

What a great family day. Had a blast playing in the several kids areas and looking at the animals. Enjoyed a cook out lunch and doughnuts from the store. We will make this an annual event and plan to do more each year. Highly recommend read more

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V V.

110

13 years ago

I hate to give this place so little star as the apple picking was not all that bad, but let me begin. Getting in, parking wise, was not that bad. The actual apple picking was pretty straight forward. The hay ride was decent. Not anything fantastic, but decent. It's more like a hay tour ride around the farm and then back to the beginning. Here is where it starts go down hill.. The Pony Ride sounds good, in theory. They had 2 ponies and 1 horse. After every kid, the animals took a break. I'm not saying they should run these animals into the ground, but it was not hot out. They should have been able cycle kids thru with the different horse/ponies. But they didn't or couldn't. It was easily an hour wait. Time to eat. The food system is a joke. They have a grill where they grill everything at, but noooo, that's not where you pick up your food. You have to purchase your food at the food stand/kiosk. Not a big deal. But then you have to stand somewhere off to the side and wait for them to call out your order for you to pick up from the same stand after it was made and brought over from the grill. Except if you bought a grilled cheese, then you go to the grill. So if you bought a burger and grill cheese. You wait here for your burger and then go to the grill and ask for your grilled cheese. You think you should be able to purchase your grilled stuff there and then walk over to the grill and give them your order, which they should be able to grill up. No, that makes too much sense. Also because their # seq has no bearing on where they are in the process, you have a mob of people standing listening for their order and then fighting to the crowd to get it. So if you hear #14, and you are # 17, you'd expect that your order was not that far away. Wrong, next # is 901, then 134, then 2, then 85, then etc, etc. These apple places always have apple cider donuts. With and without cinnamon. It's pretty much a staple. You'd think that they baked these in large volumes. No, again that would make sense. They only make a handful after orders, so you're looking at a 45 min wait. Ridiculous. The most infuriating thing for me is they have a jumping castle and some sort of play pen that they made from hay blocks. Nothing amazing about it, just some toys to push around. They charge you for that! You'd think these things would just be complimentary as distractions for all the waiting your doing. No. The place is also practically all manned by teenagers, so you go figure on how well that plays out. My fav is another place, it can get packed, but it is a better experience in my opinion. It has the word honey in it's name. read more

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L B.

9 years ago

Great for young children. Hay rides and play areas all reasonably priced. Great food and cider donuts. Animals seem well cared for. Easy parking. Definitely would recommend! read more

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Laura B.

10 years ago

My husband, 10 month old baby, and I had a very unpleasant interaction with one of the Shelburne Farm staff members today. We went to pick a pumpkin and decided to quickly look at the orchards because we were considering picking apple too. An older woman with a hearing aid stopped us as we were walking and said "Do me a favor. Just pick your pumpkin. We can't have you filling up your pockets and eating apples". We had not even touched an apple.I was beyond insulted to be accused of stealing! We are residents of Boxborough and I am so disappointed that a local business is treating customers this way. We would have spent quite a bit of money today at Shelburne Farm (hayride, cider, pumpkins, pie, etc) if we had not experienced such rude treatment. I wanted to experience the abundance of Fall with my family. Instead, we were treated horribly by this employee. We will not return to this farm. read more

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Paul F.

14 years ago

Stopped by to purchases peaches. The only choice is a basket for $20. Take it or leave it. Not very friendly. There are lots of very good spots with nice people nearby including Honey Pot, Carver Hill, Bolton Springs, Verrill, Idylwilde, etc. read more

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A B.

9 years ago

I've gone to this farm multiple times each season for the past 4 years, but unfortunately, this year, I've been so disappointed with the quality of their apples and I have given them more than one try. Surprisingly, they are still charging full price for the apples despite the fact they are all bruised and full of holes. They do not, however, tell you this until you have paid full price for your apple picking bags. While on the trail to the orchard, they have an employee stop you to provide a heads up that they had a hail storm that damaged some of their apples and that while most have holes and look bad, they are OK. A few weeks later my son's school had an apple picking field trip there and every single apple my son came home with was so badly bruised and full of holes, not one apple was edible or even suitable to use for baking. Because I live close to this farm, I recently thought I would give them another try, hoping maybe some of the apples that are ready later in the season would be better... I didn't go picking, but I stopped in their apple shop to just pick out a few apples. I sorted through many apples to find some that were not severely damaged, but when I got home and tried one, it was all dry and mealy. So, I would say skip this farm. Maybe next year the apples will be better, but I won't be going back to try them because I feel as though the ownership was not honest and forthcoming about their crop and they should have given discounts for their miserable fruit. read more

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Abe B.

7 years ago

We've been going to Shelburne for many years but this year was the last! Poorly attended to grounds, high prices, and greed are the reasons. The animals that they have there look to be poorly maintained too. Besides the high prices for the privilege of picking our own apples and peaches we had to pay $10 per child for the kids to go into the playground area. If you want to buy food (donuts, burgers, hotdogs) there is basically NO system for knowing when your order is ready. The teenaged girl tried to call out the order numbers but the crowds overtook her voice so we had to repeat the numbers that she was calling. Would it be too expensive to buy a P.A. system for under a hundred dollars and/or a number sign so that the suckers oops I mean customers can hear when their order is ready!?!? The skimpy burgers were another story. Besides that the picnic table area was filthy with overfilled trash barrels and bee's everywhere due to the trash. The country band was "different" but not an improvement on the fact that the place is rundown and the bottom line was of paramount importance. My take is this: They're trying to maximize profits in advance of selling off the grounds for more condo's and townhouses. The town of Stow needs to sit up and take notice but I'm sure that the politicians there are licking their chops at the idea of more tax revenue when Shelburne closes and "Shelburne Farm Townhouses" sprout up. read more

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Kim W.

13 years ago

Spent Saturday afternoon here with the family. We came with the intention of picking up a pumpkin but ended up apple picking most of the time instead. We opted for the large bag for $26 which my family stuffed with 25lbs worth of juicy apples. The majority of the apples available on 10/19/13 were Macoun, MacIntosh, and Cortland. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Spencer, and Mutsu trees were also there but not as much as the rest. We had hoped to find some Fuji apples, but they must have been in another section of the orchard we never made it to. Not too many pumpkins left on the 2 patches, but they had lots out front of the store area to choose from. Very nice display. The hayride, hay maze, tractor discovery zone, and pedal tractors were all enjoyed by my 4yr old nephew and 1yr old niece. Absolutely the BEST CIDER DONUTS everrrrr! Fresh and hot goodness covered in cinnamon sugar. $5 for half a dozen. Pumpkin fudge (sold inside the store for $3.50) was a very nice sweet treat as well. Oh yeah, one very important note: They have clean Port-O-Potties (some ran out of TP though so go in prepared). There are also sinks outside with soap and paper towels. Overall, very good place to spend a beautiful Autumn afternoon with the entire family. We had 3 generations there and everyone had a great time. read more

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H L.

14 years ago

During apple season my family goes through A LOT of fresh apples. I do not go for anything but the apples. I literally pull in run through the orchard pick a big bag of a variety of apples and go home. If it is apples you are after, theirs are very tasty this season. I am on my 3rd bushel in just over a month. 1st bushel was from this farm in late August, the apples were fine. 2nd bushel was from Honeypot 2 wks ago which is a CRAZY place to try and get in & out of! SO CROWDED! And the apples THIS year (every year is different!) at Honeypot were NOT impressive. Very watery tasting. Today's 3rd bushel from Shelburne farms - PERFECT. They had everything, MacCouns, Cortland, Jonagolds, Macs - all crispy & very tasty. If it is just tasty apples you want go here in the middle of the week and get yourself a bag - there is NOTHING like a fresh picked crisp New England apple! Yes it is $24 for a bushel but totally worth it. My kids eat about 3 apples a day each during the season. read more

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Lauretta L.

Elite 16

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494

15 years ago

$17 for a peck is pretty pricey...especially since I'm doing all the work! Great business idea though ;) Although it was crowded, the orchard is so big that it's not really a problem.They keep the lines moving pretty quickly too. I was able to discover new varieties of apples such as the Cortland which was delicious. I tried the sugar coated cider donut which was yummy but I couldn't really taste the cider...? read more

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Sheila C.

11 years ago

Pretty good, fun day.We had fun. Plenty of parking, purchase a peach bucket and was told that was a little too fun and want another 9 bucks, charging a bit more than I expected, I saw all others has the same amount and was never asked to pay more. Why me only?? read more

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Dawn O.

19 years ago

Shelburne farm is the most charming and pleasant apple picking/country store experience you could ever ask for. Their apples are absolutely delicious (we love the Empire variety) and you have to try their unbelievable cider doughnuts (especially when they are still warm). The fresh apple cider is also excellent hot or cold. There are also pumpkins available for picking and a few farm animals (three chickens, 2 sheep, and a pony to be exact). The people are really kind and friendly too. It is definitely worth the trip! Only about 30-45 minutes from Boston, MA. read more

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Kelly L.

14 years ago

Apples we picked were great. I expected to wait a while for the fresh doughnuts but not 45 minutes . Way too long. Then they didn't even give us what we ordered. : + ( read more

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C B.

13 years ago

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Best: great and easy drive out from the Boston area. Sun came out for our excursion. Trees on the leaves were changing. Hay maze and tractor race course for kids were fun. Gentleman facilitating hay rides was lovely. Worst: The cost seemed a little steep ($28 for a hayride for a family of four, two pony rides and some hay mazes for the kids? We hadn't even gotten to the apples yet). But the pony rides were the deal breaker. I am not kidding when I say that I had to wait an hour and a half for a pony ride with a three year old. Why did you wait that long, you might ask? It seemed promising at first. And I have a 3 year old who LOVES ponies. So you do what you can. A line of fifteen kids maybe. First they had two of three ponies up and running. And though I appreciate their safety-consciousness, they definitely just needed more efficiency with the process. After we waited half an hour, they brought the ponies down to just one (with two more grazing right there, but just not enough staff to fill them). And then after another half an hour had to change out the ponies altogether. Just needed more staff and an adult running it (all teens--all very sweet, but not perhaps not aware of the pace). Most concerning was the nearby adult whom I told (while adding that we'd had a great day otherwise) who seemed unconcerned with the experience. It's such a bummer too, b/c otherwise this could be an awesome place, but we probably would go somewhere else next time. read more

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Bollinger B.

12 years ago

I go there at least once in season with my daughter for a walk. We don't buy apples there because neither of us eat apples. The owners are very nice and they don't charge for walking around and touching farm animals. It's my daughter's favorite. She loves the tractor ride which is very cheap and we certainly pay for that. The staff is very polite and there are always some free activities going on. The only thing I am annoyed by is not because of the farm but because of the people who go there. I saw many people wasting perfectly fine apples - taking a bite and throwing it away, plucking green apples and then throwing them away, plucking apples which are not ready yet. Not just one or two but dozens. A lady literally threw away half the bag because her son did not pick the right apples. That's incredibly wasteful and just wrong. The staff was polite enough to just gently tell that lady to not do that. read more

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Ellen S.

11 years ago

This orchard still feels like a farm! Lots of apples to pick..and you can walk or take a hayride. Lots of farm animals, new water play with old fashioned hand pumps. AND THE BEST cider donuts !! read more

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Ivette O.

11 years ago

The farm is very pricey for a family with 2 or more kids!!!. Apple bag vary from $20-28, if you want your kids to enjoy the maze, and even a PLAYGROUND you must purchase a kiddy pass for $6 PER KID!!! plus $2 P/P for the hayride. I mean ridiculous! and you cant even enjoy the little tiny barn because cars are passing by. I honestly experienced better. A big disappointment. Not worth it unless you have the $$$$. read more

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Joan G.

18 years ago

Fantastic. Shelburne has the nicest people and a great set-up. they have tons of activities and its entertaining for all ages. I took my husband and 2 kids and they all loved it. they moon-bounce and the donuts kept my kids happy all day and the hayride through the farm was beautiful. i am definately going back again. the prices were reasonable and the help was much better than Honey Pot (last weekend's adventure). read more

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Christine B.

13 years ago

my family and i have been going to new places for apple picking every year for the last 5 or 6 years and we have finally found a place to call home for our yearly family tradition. when we went apple picking it was pouring rain most of the time and the staff at the farm was amazing so nice and friendly. if the staff was that amazing on such a bad weather day i can only imagine what they would be like on a good day. the activities they have for the kids kept our kids who range in age from 4 to 9 busy for hours even in the rain. we will absolutely be going back there next year and as many years after that i can still get my kids to join me! thank you shelburne farms for such an amazing experience read more

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More info about Shelburne Farm

106 W Acton Rd
Stow, MA 01775
Directions
(978) 897-9287
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.shelburnefarm.com

Hours

What time does Shelburne Farm open?

Shelburne Farm opens at 9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

What time does Shelburne Farm close?

Shelburne Farm closes at 5:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Mon-Sun 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Other Amenities

Does Shelburne Farm have free WiFi?

No, Shelburne Farm does not have free WiFi.

From the Business

Specialties

Pick Your Own Apples, Apple Orchard Pick Your Own Pumpkins, Pumpkin Patch Hot Cider Doughnuts made while you watch Homemade Caramel Apples 25 Flavors Farm Fresh Ice Cream Hay Rides and Pony Rides Farm Animals Special Attractions for Small Children, including: Tot Hay Maze Tot Hay Climbing Mountain Tot Discovery Tractor Tot Pedal Tractors Three Apples Story Telling

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Review Highlights - Shelburne Farm

“. However, as we worked our way back through the orchard, the apples became more and more accessible and copious”

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2.5 mi

•$$

Most underwhelming experience I've had at an apple orchard. I came here on a weekend in early…read moreNovember because they were offering half-price apple picking. I got a small bag for $12.50 which was a great deal. I had no problem with parking. I got a good amount of apples, although I wish the signs for the types of apples were clearer. The main reason my rating isn't higher is due to the policing near the exit. I've been through security at concert venues that were less scrutinizing. When I was leaving, an employee was near the entrance was inspecting the wagon of a family with multiple bags. I didn't hear the entire conversation but I did hear the employee lecturing them about not overfilling the bags. The employee also said to not reuse the bags (something that could be prevented if they wrote the dates on the bags as other orchards do) and understandably the family said they wouldn't come back. Even though I wasn't the target of the apple police, it created an uncomfortable atmosphere. The best part of my visit was the cider donuts. The farm store was disappointingly small with mainly apples and cider available for purchase. Considering the plethora of options for apple picking in MA, I don't plan to return here.

Lovely experience Apple picking at Honey Pot Hill Orchards this last week…read more Service was great all around despite over an hour wait for the cider donuts (which were most definitely worth the wait). Apples were extremely tasty with great variety and plenty of ladders for picking. My only fret was that the signage at times was not the most clear. And the best part: the ambiance of it all. Perfect cool day in Mass with all the Fall colors and families having a great time... it was such a positive atmosphere. Would totally go again.

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Caramel Apple with Peanuts!

Blueberries

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Apple Cider Donut!

Small Farm

4.7(12 reviews)

1.6 mi

•$

A jewel of nature, with Elena, the nicest person ever. Elena represents nature at best, and the…read morecrops just reflect her love to nature. The flowers we picked were beautiful and fresh, all organic, and filled our house with joy and love. We'll be back in August when there will be more to pick, and to support this place. Loved it!

The farm is a great place to pick up some fresh produce and the PYO seasonal flowers offering is…read morefun and affordable. Staff is very welcoming and helpful and they've been able to adapt well during Covid.

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Made this bouquet for only $7. Amazing value.

Marshall Farm

4.9(17 reviews)

4.8 mi

•$

The owner was polite and courteous and the store was clean and they had lots of plants! Their raw…read morehoney is delicious, it has a wonderful flower flavor and they have 5 LB - (80 oz) jars for $50.00 but they also have smaller jars as well. We are very happy to have such a place so close to home!

I recently visited Marshall farm for plants and flowers. I purchased their farm free range chicken…read morefrom the freezer in their store. It's expensive but so worth it. It's the best chicken I have ever cooked on my grill. Not like rubbery store bought. Check it out! You can see the chickens free ranging in their property.

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The farm stand

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Old Frog Pond Farm

4.4(13 reviews)

2.9 mi

•$$$$

This is an update from our last review: We went back to see the sculptures and met the one and only…read moreLinda - she is soooo amazing! Her sculptures in the Stuff of Dreams trail is so magical! My little guy and I loved the sculptures and artwork through the outdoor exhibit! Linda also came out and talked to us about her work of art- we fell in love with this exhibit and Linda! We will definitely be back :)

This place is absolutely amazing!! The place is super well organized, I never saw that before... As…read moresoon as you arrive, you will get a map showing all the apple trees they have and the type of apple you will get. The same number you see on the map for each row of trees on the map is also in the real field. So that makes it so easy to clearly identify the three you are looking for... And if you are not a really expect on the matter of knowing when an apple can be picked, don't worry... on the map they also indicate which trees you should focus on... Price is more than reasonable and the owner is super nice.

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Raspberry picking

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Cider Hill Farm

4.6(294 reviews)

41.6 mi

•$$

Came here for the strawberry festival and it was a really nice farm outing. U-pick quarts were $11…read moreand very much worth it for the sweet and juicy strawberries. They had a tractor that took you up the hill to some newly opened patches, but the line was long. We opted for the patches within close walking distance that still had a lot of strawberries. There's plenty of things to do for both adults and children. A fun obstacle course, giant sandbox, tire swings, and chicken feeding for kids. Hard cider, live music, a couple food carts, a mini craft pop-up and farm market/bakery for adults. There was also a strawberry shortcake and fresh cider donut stand. The pulled pork from the PitchFork food cart was plentiful and affordable. Lots of seating with umbrellas and it never felt super crowded. Parking across the street was easy. Only comment is wayfinding signage for the U-pick could be improved. More festivals like pollinator and cherry will be in the coming weeks, and we'd definitely return. We went to the beach afterwards (~15 mins) to take full advantage of the beautiful day.

Love it here and keep coming back for more. From bider donuts, to fresh veggies. My favorite is PYOread more

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More colorful pumpkins

Chicken Salad Sandwich & Raspberry Hard Cider

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Harvard Alpaca Ranch

5.0(31 reviews)

7.6 mi

What a cute ranch!!! They offer free tours (you can select timed tours online or walk into the shop…read moreto rsvp in person). There are so many alpacas! The ranch separated the males and females. Alpacas shearing happened already (spring) so if you want to see them with full fur, staff told us to return in Nov. They are still cute :) Tour runs 45 mins long and we get to feed and pet them. I am so bad with names but I know one is called Summer. Two pregnant mamas and one baby on the ranch! On the way out, please put a donation in the jar or make a purchase at the store. Plenty of cute socks, sweater, etc. Please note that you will smell alpaca spit (or musty odor) when you enter the shop/ranch and even after you depart. Don't wear fancy clothes.

The owner of the ranch is such a genuine, friendly, and caring individual. She shared her story…read morewith us during the tour and you can really tell how passionate she is about this establishment and the alpacas. Most of the alpacas were friendly and you can clearly see how happy and well taken care of they are. I love visiting places where they care for their animals and treat them like family. Definitely a must visit if you're in the area. They do free 1 hour long tours, but donations are welcome. Make sure to make a reservation so they know you're coming.

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Lunch time

Feeding the alpacas

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Blue Meadow Farm

4.0(5 reviews)

7.3 mi

Blue Meadow Farm offers horse boarding, riding lessons, and seasonal pick-your-own blueberries. All…read morethree are done with great professionalism and welcoming spirit. For the horse boarding -- the barn is well-designed and the staff pays attention to details. The horses are the priority, and the stalls are clean and well-sized. The riding instructors are excellent -- they each have their own approach, so you might want to try lessons with different people depending on your goals. Riders range from tiny kids to retirement-age. One note ... You might notice a lot of "evidence of birds" on the barn walls - but this is because sparrows are welcomed as a natural insect control method during the summer. The blueberries are delicious and usually abundant. Like any pick-your-own experience -- you will get to see the fruit in all its shapes and sizes, not just the prime examples that are packed for store sale. Even if a berry is a little bit marbled in color or small, it is still tasty.

An absolutely fabulous spot for family blueberry picking! Being from central mass, and meeting…read morepeople from Boston meant we had to find a midway farm and the blue meadow didn't disappoint! On the MA Upik site, it says no kids under 6 years old. This is OLD INFORMATION. (The current owners parents had nets hung that kids used to pull on / parents wouldn't pay attention). However, there are no more nets and no more age restrictions! I called ahead to make sure the 2-yr old picker with us would be welcome- and he was! The Entrance is marked with a homemade Upik sign To distinguish it from the driveway entrance to the horseback riding and stables. When you arrive you're greeted by a small tent where you pick up red buckets fashioned with a string (for convenient around the neck holding and double-fisted berry picking, of course!) Berries are measured by the quart. Notches have been made in the bucket to display the volume picked. They approximate how much you have picked to take home up to the half quart. Blueberries are $4.50 a quart (a steal, most places are $5.70-$6 from why I've seen. I have surmised that this is because the patch sits adjacent to the horseback riding farm part of the property otherwise present.). These prices of course only include the berries to take home, not the ones to be smacked on while picking - as we were reminded while both on our way in and out. Spraying the bushes only occurs as *required* by the State. No additional spraying of the fruit occurs You park a couple hundred feet from the tent, and walk downhill but only another 100-200 feet (it's a little steep, ask to park at the stables of hills are a big issue, I can't imagine they'd mind terribly) down to the blueberry patches. These ~1,200 someodd, 50ish year old plants are present in around four varieties. During this opening week, we found sweet, plump berries as far as the eye could see, and surprisingly few fellow pickers. Is this BC most other farms aren't starting Upik for another week? (I called a bunch ). Definitely put this farm on your list. Farm and Berries are easy to get to, delicious, and well-priced. the view with the horses is beautiful, there's a swingset that I assume visitors can use(?) and nice people run the place! What more can you want?

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Pricing, hours, rules

Carlson Orchards

3.8(110 reviews)

4.9 mi

•$$

5 stars for the peach pizza alone. We sat outside in the open back yard area of the Carlson orchard…read morebrewery/restaurant. There was an open lawn and games like corn hole for waiting customers to play with. We were helped almost immediately by the servers which was great since we had our two active toddlers with us. We ordered the peach pizza and fries. Both were delicious and were brought to us in under 10 mins after ordering. We met another family with kids due to the open seating. Our bill was brought to us right away and we were helped frequently through lunch. What more can you ask for?! Oh good music, they had that too :)

First time at Carlson Orchards this fall for apple picking! They have a variety of apples and the…read moreplace is huge. We got there a little later so a lot of apples were gone. Apples are actually good tho. It is definitely packed but the crowd dispersed well in the field. Their cider donuts are soooo good especially when eaten hot. I also got their cider and hard cider to-go and they were GREAT. My friend and I got in line for their hard cider flights and food but the wait was soo long so we decided to turn back. Overall, a cute fall activity for friends and family and good cider!

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Peach Crisp Crumble

The Pioneers Flight

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Sausage and Hots Pizza

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

James R.

17 years ago

Ouch! I go to this farm every season, and those last reviews do it no good! This is certainly a smaller farm, and one that is working on adapting to the larger crowds. But it's still an amazing place. I'd like to point out that anyone who is giving a bad review because apples are roped off is a bit mixed up. The reason the apples are roped off is because they aren't ready to be picked yet - they'll tasty gross! I learned that the hard way a few years ago when I crossed the ropes in a daring moment. The prices are the lowest in the area, and, when you do the math, actually lower than the grocery store. $23 for a 20 pound bag puts you at $1.15 a pound, right? And these are for apples fresh off the tree, not ones shipped from Mexico and picked two weeks prior. Hopefully no one will let the bad reviews influence their visit. If you have any doubts, give the place a call. They're always willing to answer questions and tell you many apple related facts! Give them a shot! read more

Megan R.

18 years ago

Amazing amazing place. Went to Honeypot before this one, and it was awful, so I had my doubts this morning. But even though the farm was busy, all the customers and all the employees were happy and helpful. The donuts are wayyyyyyy better than any of the other orchards, and you can even watch the machines through a window. Also, you're allowed to pick your donuts, instead of only having one option. They had tons of apples, and the prices weren't bad at all. They also have like 15 different types of caramel apples - candy corn, chocolate chip, white chocolate chip, heath bar, butterfinger, M&M, etc. They also had lots of yummy lunch options, and my son had a blast playing on the haymountain for 2 hours. He also was in the moonbounce for most of the day, so he is passed out with a donut smile on his face. Great farm - best I've ever been to! read more

bob k.

17 years ago

Being from Stow, we have many choices for apple picking, After sampling all of the orchards in the area we now only visit Shelburne Farms. The parking is easy and the smell of hot cider donuts is not to be missed. It can be crowded but what does one expect during the apple picking season. The staff is helpful and you can tell they enjoy their work. Even though they are busy the lines move quickly and we have made new friends while in line. The price is very reasonable less than $2.00 / LB and the quality is superb. If you are looking for a particular type of apple i would suggest calling ahead as not all apples are ready at the same time. read more

Evan C.

6 years ago

Imagine a beautiful 70ish degree day in late September ruined by a mask nazi on a power trip. A family of 3 (with a 3 year old) was kicked out for taking mask breaks while NOONE was around and the employee threatened to call the cops. You should be ashamed of yourselves. literally dozens of people were lowering masks while no one was near, however we got singled out. This farm should be ashamed of themselves and understand masks are needed only when 6 feet of social distance can't be adhered. Your bouncer is on a power trip and needs a refresher on mandates and customer relations. read more

Kara F.

9 years ago

The awful apple crop should've been reflected in the prices. Very few varieties available (and they claim blonde apples were available but practically none and what was there were heavily damaged) and of those varieties only a few on each tree not damaged. Had to struggle to fill the 1/2 bushel bag. Customers should've been told before buying their bag about the quality. Horrible expensive let down. They can claim hailstorm all they want, but the apples looked rotted and like worms were in them. For a $30 bag I want them to look appealing not disgusting read more

howie p.

17 years ago

This is by far tne best botique apple farm in New England! Farm animals, pony rides, outstanding cider doughnuts, a pleasant an helpful staff of young people, picinc areas, hayrides, and none of the hugh crowds at other orchards. A wonderful experiencefor the whole family, without being ordered about. Try the new dwarf trees which have apples that can easily be picked by all. read more

John F.

12 years ago

Went again this year and they have fixed many problems they had. You now pick your food up at the grill. An employee went out of his way to assist me and helped carry my apples back to the car. Will be going here again next year. Donuts seem to get better. I'm addicted! read more