Brooksby Farm (Peabody, Massachusetts)

Apple picking on the North Shore - October 2017

There are many activities that you can do in the fall but one of the long-standing traditions is apple picking. It's especially true if you live in New England, home to some of the orchards in the world.

It was a while since I had been apple picking so on the first Sunday of October, I took a visit to Brooksby Farm with Sarah. Located in Peabody, Massachusetts, Brooksby is a 275 acre working farm and conservation area. 

Apple Orchard

We arrived a little after noon and waited in line outside the orchard. There was about 25-30 people ahead of us in line but most were in groups so the wait wasn’t too long. When we finally made it to the booth, we purchased a peck bag for $15. The other options were a half peck bag for $8 and a half bushel bag for $25. 

The orchard is filled with a variety of apples including Macouns, Red Delicious, Galas, and Courtlands. There's plenty to choose from. 

Despite there being many visitors on this particular day, the orchard is big enough that we were able to roam freely and pick apples from whatever tree we wanted. It was nice not having to deal with any crowds. It felt like we were the only ones there.

Farm Stand

After picking for 45 minutes and rounding up 20 or so apples, we left the orchard and took a short walk over to the farm stand and animal petting zoo. 

We planned to get apple cider donuts from the farm stand but the line was way too so we decided to get the next best thing: cold apple cider. It was delicious. In addition to apple cider donuts and cider, the farm stand also had fruits, vegetables, pies, and other baked goods for purchase.  

Pumpkin Patch

Outside of the farm stand was a pumpkin patch featuring pumpkins of all sizes. 

Animal Petting Zoo

In the animal petting zoo, there was a handful of animals including pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, illams, and donkeys. There was the option to feed them with food from the farm stand. 

Overall, it was a good experience.  From apple picking to watching the farm animals, the visit was a good way to get into the fall spirit. If you’re looking for a farm that has a little bit of everything that is relatively close to Boston, and isn't too pricey, Brooksby is a good choice. For more on Brooksby, visit their site.

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