Sulin Orchard

It doesn’t get much better than autumn in north central Massachusetts. Tourists flock out this way by the thousands (I can attest to this firsthand, as I had the pleasure of their company driving home from my job in Boston on Friday evening!), but we’re the lucky ones who get to live out here to truly appreciate every colorful moment. I spent today driving around with the top down, enjoying the foliage, and taking advantage of some of the local offerings that people living elsewhere can only buy from inauthentic, often pretentious markets at inflated prices.

I’ve written about some of my favorite spots in the past, such as Crystal Brook Farm, Wachusett Brewery, and Rota Springs Ice Cream, while others, such as Marshall Farm, are so much a part of my routine that I realize a post is long overdue, but today I had the pleasure of visiting Sulin Orchard (located at 885 Fisher Road in Fitchburg) for the first time. I learned of this orchard from a recent article in the Fitchburg Pride, and I won’t rehash here the history that was so well covered in the article. It was impossible to resist visiting a place that has been under the ownership of the same family for 100 years – that’s an impressive accomplishment for any business, but farms and orchards have been under particular pressure in recent years to sell off property for a quick and easy profit, and those owners who resist are certainly to be commended…and supported!

The orchard’s owner was hard at work when we arrived, but he quickly came over to supply us with a bag for pick-your-own apples. The orchard was a peaceful spot filled with well-tended trees bursting with bright red apples; there was even a picnic table nestled among the trees for those who wanted to linger. My husband and I realized that because Sulin Orchard is not located on a hillside like so many other orchards, all of the apples are exposed to a significant amount of sun, causing them to ripen quite nicely. In addition to apples, we stocked up on homegrown butternut squash and pumpkins as well as honey produced from onsite beehives.

My favorite discovery, however, was the Sulin Orchard Cookbook. I don’t know about your family, but special recipes in my family tend to be rather closely guarded, and we certainly don’t have enough to fill a 160-page book. Yet the Sulins have chosen to share an incredible selection of their family recipes that make the most of apples and honey as ingredients. I definitely don’t consider cooking to be one of my hobbies, but I just curled up with this cookbook and flipped through every page from front to back. I have no idea how to prioritize which recipes to try first, but some of the top contenders include fried apple rings, fruit and spinach salad, squash and apple soup, apple stuffed acorn squash, apple meringue, caramel apple nut pie, miniature apple turnovers, Dutch apple pancakes, applesauce brownies, apple hermits, any of several apple breads and muffins, maple pecan pie, honey spice balls, and the strawberry chocolate tart. I may just have to open to a page at random and go with that.

I’m off to the kitchen – I hope everyone is enjoying the season!

Holiday Shopping

This weekend, businesses in several north central Massachusetts towns are partnering to host Christmas in the Country, an event designed to highlight what a number of local stores have to offer. Participating local craft and farm shops will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on December 1st and 2nd to welcome those who are seeking a unique holiday shopping experience. It sounds like a great excuse for a scenic drive around the area! Anyone who visits all of the shops involved will be entered to win one of several prizes. Two of the thirteen participating businesses, Country Mischief and Hartman’s Herb Farm, will also be offering lunch. I put together a map of all the businesses involved for those who are interested – perhaps I’ll see some of you out there this weekend!

Oak Ridge Farm Stand

Those of you who live in the area may already be familiar with Harper’s Farm, which sells fresh vegetables and other items at their farm stand on Route 117 and also at various temporary locations in the region during their peak season. They have an extensive variety of outstanding produce as well as items such as flowers, pumpkins, and other seasonal items. In the midst of the recent spinach scare, Harper's was the ONLY place I was able to find spinach (and trust me, I searched far and wide). In addition to great quality and variety, the prices are unbeatable. It never ceases to amaze me when, for example, I walk out with several large tomatoes and a big bundle of fresh basil for only $1.75.

Needless to say, I was happy to learn that Oak Ridge Farm Stand, operated by the Harper family, is now open on Route 70 in North Lancaster (not far from the Toyota dealership). I stopped in for the first time this weekend and was incredibly impressed - they had so much more to offer than the delicious fresh vegetables that were the original purpose of my visit! Oak Ridge is actually more of a small grocery store than a farm stand. The focus is on locally-made products such as homemade soaps, fresh eggs, salsas, and pasta sauces. The vast majority of the store’s offerings are direct from Harper’s farms and orchards, including high quality hormone-free beef. The highlight of the visit for me, however, was learning that Oak Ridge also includes a deli and bakery. I resisted temptation and therefore have yet to try any of the variety of pies and cheesecakes, but I can attest firsthand that the old-fashioned homemade cinnamon sugar donuts were amazing! A loaf of tomato bread was also fabulous, as was a jar of homemade dill pickles. I’m eager to return to try some of the lunch-time meal offerings, such as chicken potpie, homemade soups, and fresh sandwiches. At my next visit, I’ll also be picking up some unique items, including high-end peanut butters made with ingredients like dark chocolate, white chocolate, banana, and raspberry. And I can’t wait until they open the dairy bar component of the business this spring!

Oak Ridge Farm Stand is currently open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends. Their number is (978) 537-4777. You can learn more about the business in two articles available here and here (though I’m not certain for how much longer they’ll remain available online).

Crystal Brook Farm

Over the weekend, I headed to Crystal Brook Farm (no website, but their address is 192 Tuttle Road, Sterling) for an “open house” event. This place makes the most unbelievable goat cheese, and it was great to meet the owner and get a tour of the facilities. The most astounding thing I learned is that the entire business is run solely by the owners, Ann and Eric Starbard, with some help from only a couple of employees! The goat herd now includes about 70 animals encompassing three different breeds of goats. The milking season is just wrapping up now, with all of the goats presumed pregnant (by the single male in the herd, talk about a major responsibility!) and expected to deliver in February. We met the herd and were particularly impressed with how affectionate the animals were.

From late February through December, each goat is milked twice per day. Until very recently, that process was done entirely manually! The farm now features a milking machine that pipes the milk in for pasteurization, but from that point forward, the cheese is made by hand. In addition to taking care of the goats, maintaining the farm, and making homemade cheese, the owners also attend nine farmers’ markets every week throughout the summer. I was actually fortunate enough to stumble upon a kiosk set up by Ann Starbard at the Garlic and Arts Festival this summer (see earlier post). After sampling some of the farm’s cheese, I was thrilled to discover that they’re located very close to home!

In addition to nine mouth-watering varieties of goat cheese logs (including garlic, chive, dill, and a sweeter cranberry variation that makes a perfect bagel topping), Crystal Brook Farm makes two different “party spreads” that I would highly recommend. All items are available at various farmers’ markets throughout the state and also year-round at the farm itself in a small self-service shop. We’re so lucky to live close enough to stop in any time of day and pick up whatever we’re in the mood for. And it’s amazing that the cheese we picked up was literally only two days old - it doesn’t get much fresher than that! The on-site shop also sells other handmade products, such as goat milk soap, herbal tea, and knit items. A variety of free recipe cards are available as well for those looking to cook up something creative using goat cheese. I grabbed a recipe this weekend for a goat cheese and hazelnut pesto pasta dish that I can’t wait to try.

If you live in the area or are simply planning to come out here for a visit, I would definitely suggest that you stop by Crystal Brook Farm. Not only are the cheeses truly wonderful, but it’s great to know that the business is run by hard-working individuals who are incredibly passionate about what they do and who are eager to share their enthusiasm with others!

My Commute - Farmstands and Foliage Galore

Fall is by far my favorite time of year for commuting - aside from the increased traffic associated with the start of the school year of course! I work just outside of Boston. In the mornings, I follow Route 2 east until just before the rotary, and I then get off and cut over to Route 117 east for the remainder of the way. In the evenings, when there’s less school bus traffic, I’m fortunate enough to be able to follow Route 117 west nearly the entire way home. My route takes me past more than twenty farm stands, orchards, and nurseries. Some of my favorites include Derby Orchards for peaches, Bolton Spring Farm for fresh bread, Great Brook Farms for fresh sandwiches, and Romano Greenhouses for hanging plants.

My ride generally takes about one hour. Unlike past commutes I’ve had that took a similar amount of time to cover a much shorter distance, I’ve found that this commute is almost relaxing. One of my co-workers lives in the city of Boston - she requires an hour to get to work, just as I do! When people talk about coming out “my way” for the Bolton Fair in the fall, I just smile to myself and think of how I literally drive through the fairgrounds every night on my way home. They speak enthusiastically of rare trips to go apple-picking, while I think of how I stop at various orchards en route to home on many evenings to pick up groceries. I feel fortunate to have discovered an area that combines rural charm with modern conveniences!