Carlson Orchards is a second-generation, family run, pick-your-own-apple orchard roughly 45 minutes outside Boston in Harvard, MA. The apple trees, pumpkin patches, blueberry patches, raspberries, nectarines, peach trees, and frog pond sit on a 120-acre property.
Aside from growing the fruit they also process much of it to make apple cider that is carried by various farm stands and even regional supermarkets like Whole Foods and Shaw’s. They have even started making hard ciders! Click here if you’re interested in finding out where to buy some!
The Farm was founded in 1936 and focused mainly on the production of more standard domestic farming fare, from chicken and cattle to potatoes. The transition to a full-blown orchard and fruit farm happened in the late 1960s.
Carlson Orchards is also working to become more energy independent and, in 2010, took advantage of state grants to build 1,050 photovoltaic panels to harness the power of the Sun. Now only 20% of their total energy usage comes from the standard power grid.
Please take a little time and visit their website. If you’re in the area and looking for a fun day out, we highly recommend picking some fresh fruit from Carlson Orchards.