Doe Orchards — Local services in Harvard

I have been picking Blueberries and Raspberries at Doe Orchards in the summer for years, every Saturday morning while the season lasts.

The orchard is very well tended, with lovely, healthy, well-pruned high bushes, deer fencing at the perimeter, and bird netting all around the Blueberries. Varieties are planted in rows so you can pick down the row to get your favorite type, from year to year.

This is an excellent activity for parents with children to teach kids how fruit grows in an orchard (not in a box in the supermarket).

I asked other people picking on Saturday last weekend about their reasons for coming to Doe that day. Reasons like supporting local farming, 'locavoring', sharing the experience with friends and family, flavor, freshness, and fun were mentioned most frequently.

Most people said they use the berries for fresh eating or baking or freezing to enjoy later in smoothies on a hot day or in the winter, as a reminder of lovely summer days.

Some kids experience overcoming a form of adversity in the orchard for the first time (thorns that make raspberry picking a careful process). A little encouragement from parents helps them to work their way through this.

No one prioritized price of the berries.

I try to avoid the '3000 mile salad' as much as possible: produce grown far away may have a lower price to the consumer, but there is a cost to the planet for all that trucking, and the produce deteriorates while on the road or is picked before it is ripe. I love the flavor of fresh picked berries, looking forward to picking again while shoveling snow in winter.

I hope that people continue to support our local farmers and share these experiences with their...

I've been picking apples every fall at Doe Orchards for decades. This year, I discovered it was also the 'go to' place for a cut-your-own Christmas trees.

Last year my wife and I went to cut a tree at an enormous farm in Rhode Island ("featured on the Today Show!"). We left, two hours later, without a tree. Why? Because there was nothing worth taking home.

We knew Doe had cut-your-own trees and their photos looked enticing (but then so do all the other websites) and their price was competitive ($80). Armed with our own saw, we arrived at 10 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. Twenty minutes later we were in the midst of Christmas Tree Paradise. We quickly found three perfect (to us) trees... and we are exceedingly picky. After selecting the best of the best, we cut it, carried it 200 feet to a hut where it was tagged with our name. A tractor pulling a flatbed took our tree to the baling station. Ten minutes later - at exactly 11 a.m. - the tree was tightly lashed to the top of our car for the hour-long drive home. And, lest you think we had the place to ourselves, think again: the place was mobbed.

From now on, we know exactly where we're going for our tree. On top of the terrific selection, there is also a helpful staff that either truly enjoys what they're doing or else are great actors (I suspect the former). Thank you, Doe Orchards, for getting our Christmas off to a...

Even in 2020, Doe Orchards is really nice. Seriously consider it. Tips:

Website - Doe has a great website that it updates at least once a week. Check what is picking that week, review the map and skim the Covid guidelines. There are little features about the rocks, odd facts and history.

Go Soon - The honeycrisp apples and peaches are amazing. Buy them pre-picked if you need to. You can pick other apples. The peck bag is a good deal. The stand has limited options but they are worth it (ex: fruit, honey). September is a great month to go. Not too busy, lots of options and great weather to explore the orchards.

Keep it Simple - Doe is user-friendly, straight-forward and 100% worth it. It is easy to drive to and find. Parking is a breeze. It is a mid-size operation. Just pretty orchards, a little stand and few cheerful staff. The apples are very good and easy to access.

Have a Plan - Spend a little time figuring out the trunk color scheme to find your favorite apples and ask "Where is a good place to pick today?" before you leave the stand.

A+ activity, especially in 2020. Please be nice to staff and others. Keep the good vibe at Doe...