Planning a long weekend in Boston at the end of Sept and would like to include an apple picking excursion. I am just starting the planning process, but wanted to start thinking about the logistics. Are there tours that you can take to do this? Should we rent a car to go to the farm? Are there even farms close by to do this? Any advice would be really appreicated?

Thanks

There are lots of places about an hour's drive west (Harvard, MA). Honey Pot Hill to name one. You will need a car. They advertise in the Thursday Globe calendar section. It's lots of fun. You can pick your own (they charge by the quantity and give you 1/2 peck or full peck bags) or buy from their farmstands. Different varieties come in at different times and the steer you to what varity is ready to pick. Also can get pumkins, pies, apple products.

I love Russell Orchards in Ipswich-probably @1 hr. north of Boston. The BEST apple cinnamon donuts. Apple Cider. Country Store. Baked apple pies, flowers, etc. Cute farm animals. They have pick-your-own.
http://www.russellorchardsma.com/

The only one I can think of in Boston that yuo could get to by public transportation might be Allandale Farm in Brookline -
www.allandalefarm.com

I don't know if they have apple picking. I think it is one of the last working farms, if not the last working farm, in town. They may be able to ehlp you if they do not do apple picking.

Drumlin Farms is always great for apple picking, but you'd need a car. And it's a great place to spend some time - lots going on. Just google Drumlin Farm, Massachusetts - it's under the Mass Audubon Link, too long for me to transfer and some don't llike the tiny url's.

We love spending an entire day there, check out their web site, lots to do.

here is a link with some great spots, maybe you coudl get to some of them by T/Bus and then taxi if you make prior arragnements - you could use the trip planners on mbta.com, hoptstop.com, or google/mapquest and speak to the farms also -

there is also info on bostoncentral.com

http://www.ideasaroundtown.com/wiki/Farms_and_Orchards

Here's a website that will help you decide:
http://www.pickyourown.org/massapples.htm

Being a Mass native, my favorite orchards are in the I-495 vicinity, mainly in the towns of Harvard, Bolton and Stow.

My favorite is Honey Pot Hill Orchards in Stow, MA. Depending on their ripening schedule, they often have several varieties available for picking.

It would make total sense for a tour bus company to arrange excursions out there, but I've never noticed any buses there. They do host school field trips, maybe they know something about other types of transportation. Maybe give them a call? 978-562-5666 honeypothill.com

Another way of approaching this would be to contact the tour bus companies in Boston. They might take some sort of Fall bus tour that stops at farm stands or orchards.

If you do go to pick apples in the Harvard area, I recommend going to the Fruitlands museum, too. This isn't just because the name seems to fit with your expedition. it is a beautiful spot with a lot of interesting history about the Shakers and Transcendentalists and Native Americans
http://www.fruitlands.org/overview.php

escargot, I didn't know you can pick apples at Drumlin! I just tried finding info online, but no luck. Is that really true? ...I grew up literally across the street; there was never any apple picking when I was a kid (though they continually revamp and improve the place!).

Also, Drumlin would be easily accessible via public transporation: take the commuter train from North Station to Lincoln center (about a 1/2 hour ride, if I remember correctly), then walk about 10 minutes south along Lincoln Road, turn left onto Rte. 117 (South Great Road) and down a bit to the farm entrance. [It was our saving grace as teenagers to be able to walk to the train and go to Concord or Harvard Square!]

yrs ago we did an apple picking/ pumpkin picking thing with our kids there - you can reach it by public transport - the directions are on their website - I didn't realize that, I thought you would need a car - but there are several web sites, including massfarms.com

There are some orchards that have closed near us, but then there is tha thuge one in Berlin, but I don't know if there is public transport to that one.

Drumlin is a great spot, with a great farm stand too .

I like Nashoba Valley Winery out in Bolton. They have apple picking, and you can also taste the wines (okay, many of them are fruit wines, and they're not great, but its fun!). there's also a terrific restaurant there.

you would need a car to get there.