New England in the fall conjures up so many images: the changing leaves, sweaters and coats in the crisp air, pumpkin patches and now for me, apple orchards. When we planned to visit Massachusetts one September wild horses couldn’t have kept me back from visiting my first apple orchard and harvesting my own apples. Did somebody mention riding boots? I know, such a preppy girl thing.
After a bit of investigative journalism we settled on Russell Orchards due to its beautiful setting in the New England countryside and proximity to the Crane Estate, which we also wanted to see. The charm of this part of New England was not lost on me! As we drove to the orchard I kept thinking how I could definitely live in this part of the country. But then I was reminded that I might feel differently should I have visited in the winter….
Russell Orchards is perfect for the whole family. Of course you’ll find acres and acres of almost every kind of apples you’ve ever heard of, just ripe for the picking. But also delightful is their farm store with freshly pressed cider, picnic supplies and the best part: fresh out of the fryer apple cider donuts. I will never have a donut as good as these apple cider donuts from Russell Orchards. They sell them in a brown paper bag and you’ll definitely need more than one. The farm also has picnic tables, pumpkin patches, hay rides, a petting zoo and other produce year round.
Aside from those donuts, hand picking each apple we brought home was such a blast. We wandered the rows and rows of apple trees, careful not to fill our bags too quickly. I’m a huge fan of Mcintosh apples myself and I loved coming across their rows of this sweet fruit. The experience was even more fun since we brought Maya, John’s niece with us. Even at 16 months old, she got really into filling her own little bucket with apples.
After picking all the apples we could bring home with us, we drove down the road to the legendary Crane Estate, a grand 59-room, Stuart-style mansion built almost 100 years ago. Although no longer a residence, this amazing piece of architecture is used still for their historic house tours, weddings, parties, an annual art show, summer concerts, lectures, movie filming, and even a summer camp. Gah to receive an invitation to a party there! Picture the Great Gatsby mansion set overlooking the ocean and you’ve got it! We spent our time there roaming the incredible grounds fit for any castles in Europe. At 2,100 acres there’s no shortage of gardens, woods and rolling vistas in which to pass a pleasurable afternoon.
After a very full day we stopped for dinner at the Clam Box, an Ipswich tradition for over 80 years. When you come here leave your healthy food expectations at the door as most of what they serve here is deep fried and delicious. We of course ordered a big pile of their fried clams, a first for me. What makes them so good? After carefully being inspected by the owner each morning, the chosen clams are “washed” in evaporated milk, coated with corn flour and white pastry flour, then twice-fried for perfect taste and texture.
Thank you Massachusetts for the perfect fall day in your countryside. We visited Ipswich after spending a day in Boston and before we headed to Cape Cod. What a delight the fall in New England is!
