An autumn visit to a local farm is a must-do when you reside in New England. Growing up in the area, I’ve been to various farms and found that each offers a slightly different seasonal experience. There are remote orchards with acres of apples as far as the eye can see and there are farms that offer jump pillows, play equipment, and tons of family activities. Other farms even have corn mazes to navigate and explore. Last year my family and I traveled to Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, and spent a day at Parlee Farms where we enjoyed a wonderful day of apple picking, farm animals, flower picking, and some great food. We also made some lasting memories along the way! Parlee Farms ended up being one of my favorite places to visit in the fall near Boston.

My family and I arrived at the farm early in the morning and decided to start our day by visiting the apple orchard. Parlee’s 19-acre orchard typically produces over 20 types of apples, including Golden Delicious, MacIntosh, and Honeycrisp. We were happy to discover that the apples were plentiful and easy to reach. Our bag got heavier and heavier as we quickly filled it to the brim with a variety of colorful apples. We may or may not have sampled a few along the way.

When we just couldn’t fit another apple into the bag, we brought our overflowing peck back to the car and headed over to the flower field and purchased wristbands that allowed us access to pick our own bouquet. I was thankful that we remembered to bring a bucket and, therefore, got a dollar off the price of the wristband. The farm provided the scissors. We had never done this activity before as a family, and it turned out to be so much fun. The colorful field was ablaze with dahlias, zinnias, and my favorite, sunflowers. We took turns cutting flowers and brought them together to form a gorgeous bouquet. 

But the fun didn’t stop there! Next, it was onto the pumpkin patch where we were met with pumpkins of every shape, color, and size. Parlee has one of the biggest and best pumpkin patches near Boston and grows over 40,000 pumpkins each year. I made the kids take an obligatory annual pumpkin patch photo and we all spent a lot of time perusing the various choices. In the end, the kids decided to go with some funky-shaped gourds instead of the traditional carving pumpkins.

After a brief stop to pet the goats and sheep, we ended our visit by purchasing some roasted corn. My mouth was watering before we even landed at the roasting station. We purchased an ear for each of us, but it was so good that we could have easily eaten more. If you have never tried this sweet treat before, I highly recommend doing so. Please note that the roasted corn is only available on the weekends. The farm has a delicious bakery and country kitchen where you can purchase cider donuts, ice cream, and lots of other tasty treats.

We had so much fun at Parlee Farms that we are planning to return later this month. I can already taste the roasted corn and have started to think about all of the delicious recipes I can create using those crisp apples.

What is your favorite local farm to visit in the fall? You can find further information about Parlee Farms near Boston on the Parlee Farms website (which is updated with daily picking condition information) as well as the Parlee Farms Facebook page. If you are searching for even more autumn fun, check out our recommendations for the seven best local fall festivals. Our Ultimate Guide To Fall Attractions And Activities In Massachusetts is also a wonderful seasonal resource.