I thought a thread might be of interest. Chime in, local Hunions! 
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From Farmer Dave. Main farm in Dracut, PYO also in Westford, and East Street farmstand adjacent to the Tewksbury cornfields.
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Smolak Farms in North Andover - Disney themed fall festival this weekend, and several orchards are open for PYO apples, including an antique apple orchard. But theyāre definitely a good bit more expensive. The antique orchard allows you to try different apples - Iāve picked there in the past, and LOVE the Chenango Strawberry, Sheepnose, Stayman, Baldwin, and of course, Northern Spy.
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Cider Hill Farms in Amesbury has the best apple cider - itās unpasteurized, and I always go up and get a half gallon every year, even though my late mother left the area about 7-8 years ago. I just have to remember to freeze it before it really starts to ferment in the fridge. Because that can make a mess in your freezer as it bubbles out even while itās freezing. (Ask me how I know about that little tidbit of knowledge!)
Theyāve got a great list of about 50 different apples, available at various times throughout the season. Iāve not gone picking there, as the orchards are a good bit further away from the parking, and my old knees wonāt cut it anymore. BUT they have an amazing farm store to choose lots of types of apples, and whatever you do, donāt forget their hot apple cider donuts!
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Thanks, Linda. i miss going to Gould Hill in Contoocook NH. Hdvenāt been able to drive that long in a decade. But on a day when the joint and spine inventory is stable, Amesbury could be doable. I use a walker or rollator, and need to limit walking/standing time. I used to freeze raw cider and never knew it to ferment while frozen. I froze it in quart bottles, leaving room to expand. But the new 4-door fridge, SIDRAT, will not accommodate taller than a pint bottle, if standing up. Tardis backwards, because itās smaller on the inside.
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They obviously have closer parking to the barn for those who need it. A very short walk.
My problem was I wouldnāt freeze it until it just started to ferment in the container in the fridge. I kept thinking Iād use it, Iād use itā¦but didnāt. Once that starts, can be tough to stop, even during freezing.
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St. Casimirās Polish Food-Lowell
This is not a specific fall event, the store is open year round. The pierogi are excellent.
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Thanks, Linda! We love Cider Hill Farm and think they have the best cider donuts (our son has tried every cider donut he has encountered) and we love their unpasteurized cider. I really want to go to Smolak for the first time because I love the antique apples and they have varieties Iāve never seen anywhere else.
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Thatās why I went there, too! They give you a map of the antique orchard when you buy your picking bag that has a description of the different apples. (They used to have it online, but I canāt seem to find it anymore.)
The Antique Orchard is right opposite the main field parking, so convenient to get in/out, as I only go for picking. Iāve gotten there at 8-9 a.m. and Iām done in a half hour. Nice days like weāve been having? Itāll be a madhouse any time after that, same as Cider Hill.
BTW, they also have additional antique apples in their New Section Orchard with even more types of antiques. Thatās where I tried my first Arkansas Black apple. Very hard when first picked, theyāre better to keep into January or so, and they do well in baking. (Not an eating out of hand apple.)
Hereās a Summer Rambo from 2021. HUMONGOUS! Crisp and tangy/tart.
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Do they sell the antique apples in the Smolak farm store? I have two hip replacements and one now 25-year-old knee replacement and on days that arenāt so good, itās hard for me to actually pick.
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They do not. There are so few trees of the antiques it doesnāt make sense for them to pick some for sale.
Nor do I think the usual customer would buy them, as they wouldnāt recognize the names. Humans tend to go with the familiar and what they know, and that usually means what they see in the stupidmarket. 
Itās also a total crapshoot as to the crop yield. One year, I got there late Sept/early Oct after a downpour the 2 days before. Many apples had fallen to the ground (so yes, I did do some āshoppingā of unblemished apples from there to get what I wanted!)
The antique orchard is hilly and at times, bumpy to walk through. I found you definitely have to keep an eye out for where youāre walking.
The New Section Orchard is a walk away, behind their big barn and up a long path. The orchard itself is a bit flatter once you get there. There are hay wagons that go out that way, but Iām not sure if they stop to let people off or on. Youād have to ask them.
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Thanks so much for this helpful information. I can understand why they donāt pick the antiques for retail sale. Iām an weird human who wants to buy that variety of tomato or apple or whatever exactly because Iāve never heard of it or seen it!
I think I can probably enlist the my-age adult male here (with hard cider) and the younger adult male here (loves unpasteurized cider and cider donuts) to help me pick in the antique areas. I was 43 when the the knee replacement was ābornā and I do have some ability on good days.
If I get to do it, Iāll report back.
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Gould Hill in Contoocook NH was sold at least a decade ago when the owner retired. The young couple who bought it kept it running but I have no idea what has happened more recently. Itās about a 90 minute drive from the Lowell area. Before it changed hands, the store sold heirloom and popular varieties, loose and in pecks and half-pecks. Dozens of types, some unique to their orchard. Parking is right outside the store, on flat ground. The orchard itself is steep. Gorgeous views from the hilltop barn that houses the store.
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We moved from the Northshore to southern VT near Scott Farm, legendary for so many antique apples! They do a CSA every year. If anyone ever wants to make the long drive, we could put you up!
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We are known to show up at a momentās notice! 
In all seriousness, thatās a very kind offer. Hope you loving your move to VT.
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You and me both! Always fun to try new-to-me food things!
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Seriously, weād love to have visitors. Except for the month of October this year which should be peak foliage. Just drop me a message. Love friends we havenāt met yet!
I have great memories of food lovers Iāve known. I met Greygarius at a crawl at the very first Geneās Chinese flatbread in an old pizza place!
We timed it just right to get a nice house on he West River, but living in Vermont is not as much fun as visiting.
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