Where you can still pick summer fruit – some by reservation

Above: Blueberries and raspberries are still ripe for picking at farms in our area. (images cropped from Facebook L-R by Tougas and Nourse farms)

It’s another hot week, but I don’t want to keep putting off sharing the info on where you can pick your own fruit this summer. There’s not much time left to gather your blueberries.

This summer, local orchards are offering Pick-Your-Own programs, but they sometimes require advance reservations. Before making reservations, make sure to check their latest picking conditions info. 

My family traditionally enjoyed fruit picking at Tougas Family Farm in Northborough. In addition to spring-fall pick your own fruits, they have a great playground and lots of goats to entertain the kids. It looks like they are still offering the wagon rides – with social distancing this summer.

You can click here for their current picking conditions.  They are still advertising PYO blueberries – but with some restrictions:

It’s a beautiful tasty crop this season. We, like everyone else, have made changes in the way we are able to conduct business. Make a reservation if you want to pick in the mornings. We are offering Adult only, and Family times as well. When supplies allow we will offer walk in picking in the afternoons. Always check back just before coming to be sure we have enough berries and room in the field. See you soon!

They also have open picking for blackberries without reservations. Peaches aren’t yet ready for PYO but are for sale via their shop. They hope peaches and nectarines will be available for PYO soon. Expect the usual apples and pumpkins as we head into fall.

Over in Framingham, you can check out Belkin Farm. That farm requires reservations for all picking. As of today, the reservations options for this week are limited to August 14th and 16th for yellow peaches. You can also stay tuned for more future picking times for recently advertised nectarines and summer apples. Based on prior years, other fruits that could be upcoming are plums, fall apples, asian pears, and pumpkins. They also have onsite outdoor dining “with Lookout Farm beers, hard ciders and New England cuisine while taking in the surrounding farm views and fresh air.”

If you are looking for red raspberries, you’ll want to head to Nourse Farm in Westborough:

We are now picking for the next summer raspberry variety, Polana. This is one the most delicious berries on our farm. There is an additional field of raspberries opening, called Carolina, that is equally amazing. We have different varieties throughout the summer and fall until a major frost.

They are also selling PYO flowers. This fall, they’ll sell pumpkins. It doesn’t appear that Nourse requires reservations.

While you’re there, you can check out their Veg Out food truck. You might also get a peek at some of the youngest members of their cattle herd: 

https://www.facebook.com/NourseFarm/posts/3623374037675664

The above is just one of many videos the farm has posted to Facebook encouraging you to enjoy quiet scenes at the farm.

If you’re looking for other fun things to do in Southborough and nearby, click the tag link below.