Apple Picking Season is here!

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Within just 30 minutes from Concord you can find a variety of orchards and all sorts of options for apple picking, cider donuts, farm stands and pumpkin patches.

      

 

Many offer hayrides, mazes, farm animals, pumpkin patches and stores stocked with variety of seasonal merchandise and delicious fresh cider donuts, pies, fruit and cider.

   

Make a day of it – pack a picnic or pick up lunch at some of these spots.

We compiled a list of some PYO spots within a short drive from Concord:

Autumn Hills Orchard, 495 Chicopee Row, Groton

PYO and online shop. There are picnic tables up on the high ridge where you can sit, relax and enjoy the view. Trails and paths circle the farm. Walk, pick fruit, enjoy the view!

   

 

Berlin Orchards, 310 Sawyer Hill Road, Berlin

PYO, farm store & wagon rides Monday-Friday. Gorgeous views, perfect picnic spot. Bonus – you may see farm animals.

 

Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road, Harvard

If you visit on a weekend, you’ll have an option to pick up a bite to eat from one of the visiting food trucks.

     

 

Carver Hill Orchard 101 Brookside Road, Stow

A family run orchard  – visit the farm store for apples, cider donuts, mum plants, pumpkins, ice cream, cider & more!

 

Derby Ridge, 438 Great Rd., Stow

Pick your own, farmstore and donuts Friday-Sunday

 

 

Doe Orchard, 327 Ayer Rd., Westford

 

 

Hill Orchard, 4 Hunt Rd. Westford

Open Saturday & Sunday

   

 

Honeypot Hill Orchard, 138 Sudbury Rd, Stow

Mazes, Hayrides, Pick our Own, Farm Animals

 

Nagog Hill Farm, 74 Nagog Hill Rd., Littleton, 978-486-3835

   

 

Schartner Farm, 279 W. Berlin Rd., Bolton

Open weekends, pyo apples and corn maze, Lion Club makes fresh cider donuts

 

Shelburne Farm, 106 West Acton Road

Warm Cider Donuts made fresh all day every day!
Visit the farm animals, tractor playground, and story walk, PYO apples & pumpkins.

 

Westward Orchards, 178 Mass Ave, Harvard

Pick your own apples & pumpkins. Farmstore – porch & curbside pick-up only now.

Gather up your family & friends, you’ll need some extra hands to carry all those delicious apples you’ll pick!

And start planning the apple pie, apple crumble, apple sauce, caramel apples… you plan to make.

Happy Apple Picking!

 

Pandemic: Changes & new offerings we have embraced and liked

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We all want the Pandemic to come to an end… But what about things that have come about or were started due to the Pandemic that we don’t want to end? Here are some thoughts…

One Concord resident wrote this: “Overall, I think people are much more friendly and kind, here and elsewhere. Seems the ‘We are all in this together’ idea is bringing out best in so many.”

Living Concord followers sent us some of their favorite things:

Curbside pick-up at Concord Library

Messages on staircase leading to Nesting shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outdoor classrooms

Eating Lunch outside at schools

Birthday Parades

 

Small, social distance concerts at your home. Some local musicians can come to your home to perform for you and small group.

Mobile ordering @ Haute Coffee

Curbside pick-up options at so many shops & restaurants

 

Al fresco dining, more outdoor seating options

Seeing many more people walking & biking

Library lawn cafe tables and chairs set up for safe social distance small gatherings

Free parking in town

Easier commutes (b/c less traffic) or no commute

No business travel

Graduation Parades & CCHS Administration stopping by each Graduate’s home in the Graduation Celebration School Bus

Drive-in movies at CCHS, from Concord Recreation

Concord Ag Week (not just Ag Day)

Less activities has allowed for more family dinners, more free time, more game nights

Zoom calls with family & friends

Concord-Carlisle Community Chest Driveway Project

Celebratory take out dinner options offered by local businesses

Chalk messages & more messages of gratitude and kindness around town

Playing games like Kahoot or Risk with friends and family

Being in your pajamas longer and having more leisurely mornings

All the new library offerings

Special take-out dinner offerings / “celebration dinners” from local restaurants

Sidewalk sales / sidewalk displays

Outdoor town meeting (with no presentations)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Umbrella’s productions you can watch via Zoom

Summer Quest

Concord Together, Concord Solstice and Fall In Love with Concord

Paperless menus  – just scan QR code with your phone.

All the new Umbrella offerings

More options to sit around town

Go Out Doors along the Rail Trail

People seem less in a hurry, kinder.

These are just a few of the good things that we have learned, started and liked during this trying time. Thank you to all of you who have worked so hard to make these things happen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kicks For Cancer 2020

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Dear Friends and neighbors,

On behalf of the Kicks for Cancer 2020 Committee, we are reaching out to ask for your support!  It is important and will make a difference in our collective fight against cancer.  And as cancer research doesn’t take a break during a pandemic, neither does Kicks for Cancer!

Kicks for Cancer is an annual event held at Concord-Carlisle High School that has been raising funds for women’s cancer research and ovarian cancer research for 14 years.  The event began in honor of Lois Wells of Concord, MA, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 2007.  It honors all those affected by cancer in our community and beyond and has raised over $490,000 to fund research.

Normally, Kicks is an all-day soccer and field hockey tournament at CCHS; however, this year, due to health and safety concerns, the event will be virtual.  We believe our presence in the community is more important than ever this year!  Here is how you can help support Kicks:

  • Kicks Lawn Signs: Join the community and purchase a Kicks lawn sign.  Signs are $25 each and come in pink or teal.  Honor a loved one by writing their name on the back.  Sign pick-up is at Emerson Field in Concord on Saturday, September 19th from 10am – 2pm.
  • Kicks Merchandise:  Get your kicks on by shopping for Kicks merchandiseincluding shirts, lanyards, car magnets, scarves, and headbands.
  • Donate:  Please consider making a Kicks donation.  Any amount is greatly appreciated!
  • Visit our website:  Check out Kicks player “shirt stories,” alumni memories, and the history of Kicks to learn more.
  • Sponsor: Do you know any local businesses that would like to help sponsor Kicks?  The company’s logo will appear on our Kicks website, social media, email marketing, and press coverage.  Please contact: Trish Siefer at thesiefers@gmail.com.

Kicks for Cancer continues to partner with The Mighty Moose event to fuel funding for ovarian cancer research. You can hear the backstory and impact of funding from Dr. Kevin Elias here. “Philanthropy is vital to helping move this work forward.”

Thank you for helping us keep the Kicks for Cancer tradition alive in our community!

With gratitude,

The Kicks for Cancer 2020 Committee

Concord Bike Rodeo & Bike to School Concord Organization

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Concord Bike Rodeo

September 5th, 11am-1pm

Bring your masks, bikes, helmets, and all your gear as we’ll be instructing kids from any school to develop and practice skills that will help them to become better bicyclists right away. You and your kids will leave with more confidence and bike-savvy, ready to
have more fun than ever on two wheels. Parents and kids participating in Concord’s Bike-to-School Events will learn about local bike routes and plans and prizes for biking to school beginning on Day 1 of the Fall 2020 school semester!

What YOU will bring:
– Kids (parents are good too, dogs welcome)
– Masks
– Bikes
– Helmets
– Water and snacks
– Floor pump for bike tires (optional)

What WE will bring:
– Traffic cones
– Sidewalk chalk
– Sample road signs
– An extra kid bike or two just to have available
– Handouts, stickers, and swag

What EVERYONE will bring:
– An excellent attitude!!!

(Inclement weather will postpone until Sunday Sept 6th. Check back here if the weather looks questionable on Saturday morning.)

Get ready to start biking to School!

Starting September 8th!

 

Safe Rides to School – Check out this Mass.gov link for information on safe places for children to walk and bike, starting with their trip to school.

Check out the Town of Concord site for rules of the road

Read up on the wonderful Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

TrailLink is a great source for more info on trails around Massachusetts

 

Day Trip: Newburyport

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Day Trip: Newburyport

In just one hour from Concord, you can get to the lovely coastal town of Newburyport – so much to see and do!

The Newburyport Waterfront Park is a vibrant 4.4 acre park in the center of Newburyport’s downtown waterfront. The Park includes six public access points from the heart of downtown to a 1100 foot boardwalk and its memorial benches along the Merrimac River, a sculpture park, and a large grass area fronting on the Merrimac River.

Visit the Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport

Open Thursdays – Sundays this year

The CHMM is a dynamic maritime history museum; education and cultural center; emerging research facility; and a meeting place for people seeking a unique venue for professional or social gatherings. We connect our vibrant past to our living present through our relationships with local educational, artistic, business, and environmental organizations.

Housed in this historic structure, the CHMM’s unique collection of maritime objects, art, models, and historical documents reflect the rich history of the region from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. (www.customhousemaritimemuseum.org)

Current Exhibit: Entertainment for Man and Horse

Victuals Libations and Distractions in an Early American Tavern open JULY 2020 – JULY  2021

     

How about a Whale Watch? Check out Newburyport Whale Watch  (54 Merrimac Street, Newburyport)  – they’ll take you on the   Merrimack River and into the Gulf of Maine where we can find a variety of marine life such as  Humpback, Finback, & Minke Whales as well as Porpoise, Seals, Sharks and an array of Sea Birds. The season runs from May through October. Directly Book Online or please call 1-800-848-1111 or 1-978-499-0832 (outside New England) to make your reservation today!

The Parker River Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for migratory birds. It is most commonly associated with Plum Island – a barrier beach island – the refuge is comprised of more than 4700 acres of diverse habitats including sandy beach and dune, cranberry bog, maritime forest and shrub land, and freshwater marsh. The most abundant habitat on the refuge is its 3,000+ acres of salt marsh, one of the most productive ecosystems in nature. Parker River provides pristine coastal habitat for over 300 species of resident and migratory birds, as well as a large variety of mammals, insects, fish, reptiles and amphibians. The refuge also provides critical habitat for the federally threatened piping plover.

The refuge headquarters and visitor center is located at 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport, MA, 01950.  Phone: (978) 465-5753.  General email address: parkerriver@fws.gov.

Explore the beautiful barrier island, Plum Island nearby!

Pick up picnic items or take-out from one of these spots in Newburyport:

Check out www.Newburyport.com  – a great resource for more info about Newburyport.

Have a fabulous day in Newburyport!

 

 

Day Trip: Blue Bikes around Boston & Cambridge

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Have you tried BlueBikes?

Bluebikes is Metro Boston’s public bike share program, with over 3,000+ bikes and more than 300+ stations across Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Everett, and Somerville. It’s a fun, affordable and convenient transportation option for quick trips around town.

Grab a bike and explore some of these areas:

Single Trip $2.50

Unlimited two hour trips in 24 hour period $10

Annual $99 (best deal for locals or regular riders)

MAP – click on this to see pick-up locations

Make a day of it! Try renting in Seaport at Fan Pier, bike down to Design Center and back up to the Aquarium. So many fabulous spots to eat along the way and the view can’t be beat.

Or how about Arnold Arboretum?

Be sure to make it to Peters Hill for an incredible view of the Boston skyline

Or how about Stony Brook Reservation

How about trying Neoponset River Greenway? You can pick up a BlueBike at the Mattapan T- station which is a 2-minute ride from the trailhead.

If you take the path across the Harvest River Bridge you’ll enjoy incredible views of Boston Harbor and spot all sorts wildlife along the way.

Two Concord residents have used Blue Bikes for these trips:

Trip #1: Pick up bikes at Alewife and take the recreation path through Arlington to its end in Somerville, then biked over to Harvard Square. ALl sorts of dining options there.  Pick up the bike again after lunch and explore area around the Harvard Square and Harvard Campus then return bikes to Alewife.

Trip#2: Drive to Kendall Square and park car, pick up bike in Kendall Square and bike on the Harborwalk to the USS Constitution and further up harbor in Charlestown. Continue biking  down and over the Charles River locks to the North End. Enjoy an outdoor meal at Boston Harbor Hotel outdoor lounge then pick up picks and return them to Kendall Square.

Trip #3:  Drive to Kendall Square, park car and pick up bikes. Bike over to the Science Museum bridge. Either stop at Science Museum for a visit or continue on bikes and pick up the Esplanade path, continue up the Charles River past the Esplanade, B.U., and HBS. Continue to Harvard Square and bike back along the north side of the Charles back to Kendall Square past MIT.  Pick up a yummy outdoor snack from Brothers Market in Kendall Square.

There are so many local attractions to see and no better way to see them than one a bike – no hassle of looking for & paying for parking!

 

 

Day Trip: Take a Mural Crawl North of Boston

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Did you know you can see more than 100 murals throughout Essex County, north of Boston?

You can take a mural tour north of Boston this summer — all you need is a car and a map.

“In April, the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau launched a ‘North of Boston Mural Map’ highlighting the artwork displayed on buildings across communities north of Boston. It’s the perfect social distancing activity this season as folks head outside to explore their communities, according to Ann Marie Casey, executive director of the North of Boston.” (see full article in Boston.com)

 

Download the brochure

 

Interactive Mural Map

Click a map marker to display each mural and to learn more.

Click on a numbered map cluster to zoom into areas with multiple murals.

Throughout this map, you will find a number of our region’s outdoor, walkable murals available to the public at all times.

Visit different communities and experience the art and culture that North of Boston has to offer.

 

Check out murals in following cities:

 

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice Cream!

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New Englanders love ice cream…. and no better place to get it than right here in Concord & Carlisle!

Check these businesses for open hours & carryout options.

Bedford Farms, 68 Thoreau Street, Concord

         

 

Helen’s Restaurant, 17 Main Street, Concord

   

 

Reasons to Be Cheerful   10 Commonwealth Avenue Concord

 

 

Trail’s End, 97 Lowell Road, Concord

 

Kimball’s in Carlisle    343 Bedford Road (Rte 225) in Carlisle

 

 

Or try to make at home….

“How to Make Ice Cream from Scratch” from GoldCoast Ice Cream 

Check out the Gold Coast Ice Cream website for delicious recipes & instructions for automatic ice cream makers, manual ice cream makers, freezer method, plastic bag method and milkshake makers. This website also provides all sorts of interesting  information on storing ice cream, nutritional facts and how to make waffle cones.

Mason Jar Ice Cream Recipe (from delish.com)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1  1/2 TB granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tspn pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

Pour cream, sugar, vanilla and salt into a 16 ounce mason jar and secure tightly with a lid. Shake the mason jar until the cream thickens and almost doubles in size, 4 to 5 minutes. It should be opaque and easily coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Freeze for 3 hours, or until hardened. Scoop out ice cream with a spoon and serve with your favorite ice cream toppings.

The New York Times offers the “Only Ice Cream Recipe You’ll Ever Need”:

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • Your choice of flavoring (see note)

DIRECTIONS:

In a small pot, simmer heavy cream, milk, sugar and salt until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream. Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturers’ instructions. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.

SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT OUR FAVORITE FROZEN TREAT:

Did you know?

There’s a Simple Trick to Help Brain Freeze… The real word for brain freeze is sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia. But you can keep calling it brain freeze or frozen headache.
What is brain freeze? In simple terms, you have temperature sensors on the roof of your mouth. When cold objects hit it before your body has time to process, your nerves send a message to your brain that signal heat loss.
This is what brings on that massive headache halfway through eating your ice cream.
To combat brain freeze, hold your tongue against the roof of your mouth. This will help warm your sensors and get your brain out of panic mode.

We Know How Many Licks it Takes to Get Through a Scoop
The magic number is 50.
We’re just jealous we weren’t the person who got to do the taste test to get that data!

 

Ice Cream Sundaes Were Actually Made For Sundays
There are two competing stories about the invention of the ice cream sundae. Here is the most popular one.
Ice cream sodas were a popular drink you could buy at the local soda shop. However, religious laws forbade shop owners from selling them on Sundays because people were not allowed to indulge in the sugary treats on the Sabbath.
The owner of Ed Berners’ Ice Cream Parlor, Edward Berners, decided to get around this law. One day, he served a customer ice cream soda without the actual soda part, so it was just ice cream and syrup.
Soon, the concoction was sold on Sundays as an alternative to ice cream sodas. However, it became so popular it was sold every day. Berners changed the spelling to “sundae” to avoid associating it with the holy Sabbath.

 

Which Came First: Chocolate or Vanilla?
If you thought the answer was vanilla, you’re wrong. Chocolate was actually invented first.
We generally assume that vanilla ice cream came first because it’s the common base that creates many other flavors. However, it wasn’t always that way.

 

Ice Cream Used to be a Luxury
Back in the day, ice cream was seen as a luxurious dessert that only the elite could enjoy. It was considered rare and exotic, and remained this way until the late 1800s.
The elite and rich upper-class society members were the only ones who could afford the imported ingredients and the cold storage.
These were also the days before the commercialization and manufacturing of ice cream. Therefore, it wasn’t as easy to get for everyone, which led to the exclusivity.

There is an Ice Cream Fruit in Hawaii
That’s right. There’s a Hawaiian fruit that tastes exactly like vanilla ice cream. It’s called the inga feuillei, but locals call it the ice cream bean.
It grows on perennial trees in hot climates, and it is enjoyed in many different ways by locals.

*Fun facts from stanpacnet.com

Enjoy some ice cream, today!

 

Day Trip: Hudson for full day of fun

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Start your day with a bike or hike along the Assabet River Rail Trail, 9.2 mile section of the trail is paved and open to the public, with 13 parking lots along the way.

     

The Assabet River Rail Trail, Inc. (ARRT) is a non-profit organization formed for the purpose of promoting the creation of a multi-use recreational rail trail passes through the communities of Marlborough, Hudson, Stow, Maynard and Acton. The trail is built along the abandoned rail bed of the former Marlborough Branch RR, which was active between 1853 and 1980.

Try Brunch, Lunch or Dinner at a fabulous spot – The Rail Trail Flatbread Co. in downtown Hudson, 33 Main Street. Be sure to make reservations. Open Sunday – Thursday: 11:30-9Pm, Friday & Saturday: 11:30-10PM.

Read about this wonderful establishment and how they have grown and adapted during the pandemic. Here is a brief description from their website:

Although delicious wood fired flatbread pizza is the champion on our menu it’s just the beginning -we are a family friendly restaurant offering unique spins on new american comfort food classics like burgers, poutine, tacos and mac and cheese to name  a few..  some of our most popular items were developed by thinking about the food we crave and the places we’ve been. We believe food should be fun and approachable for everyone and never, ever too serious. Our friends brew some really creative craft beers.  we have twenty taps and a selection of bottles and cans.

Besides what were cooking in the kitchen and pouring behind the bar we’re proud to tell you that we’re an “open book management” company. Open book management empowers all of our team members to understand how our business works, have a say in how our company is run and share with us when we hit our goals. our team is what makes us special and we hope you feel it when you come visit us.

 

Indoor and patio options available – dining guests will have temperature monitored on arrival.

   

They offer appetizers such as wings, ribs, roasted veggies & calamari, Salads, Bowls, fabulous Flatbreads, Burgers and much more.

The patio is a fabulous spot to enjoy your meal.

 

Cap off your delicious meal with New City Microcreamery Ice Cream, same owner. You can pick up a pint as you leave Rail Trail Flatbread Co. (there is a case in front of store with about a number of flavors) or walk across the street and check out the Microcreamery and pick among all the yummy flavors. We loved the Salted Oreo!

   

Finish off your day – or save for another day… at Animal Adventures Family Zoo & Rescue Center, 336 Sugar Road, Bolton

Open 7 days a week, 10am-5pm

Come see and learn about animals such as Wallaby, Porcupine, Emu, Armadillos, Skunk, Opossum, alligators, snakes and other small reptiles, mammals, and amphibians!

They offer Daily Live Animal Presentations each day at 11am, 1pm and 3pm with the zookeepers  – during this 25 minute session you will learn about their rescue animals and you even get to touch and interact with them!

A number of tour options, encounters and classes are available such as:

  •  90- minute Private Tour
  • 2 hour guided Extreme Tour for just your group
  • Extreme Tour w/ the Owner, Dr. Ed Laquidara
  • Cat Connection
  • Owl Connection
  • Animal Encounter
  • Reptile Tour
  • Zookeeper for a Day
  • Animal Classes – learn about the fox, owl or cats
  •  Birthday Parties
  •  Summer Special – Book an After Hours Tour for regular prices! 

    Email: Info@AnimalAdventures.net

Have a great day!

Day Trip (Or Night): Date Night Out of the Town

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Venture out for a Night OUT of Town….

Two great spots for a date  night (or family night or night with a friend):

 

LookOut Farm , 89 Pleasant Street, South Natick

You may know about LookOut Farm from apple picking but you’ll gain a whole new appreciation for this beautiful spot once you have enjoyed an outdoor  dining experience on their 180 scenic acre farm. The spaciously distanced picnic tables are sanitized between use and orders are placed via customer smart phone/device. Try some Lookout Farm beers, hard ciders and New England cuisine while taking in the surrounding farm views and fresh air. After or before your meal, take a walk along the paths through the fruit orchard which are open until 8pm.

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 12noon until 8:30pm

Last Seating is at 7:30pm, kitchen and drink orders must be placed by 8pm.

– Masks/face coverings are required while walking in common areas.

-Family friendly, children welcome, high chairs available.

– Sorry, no dogs allowed.

– Reservations recommended but Walk-ins are welcome.

– If you want to request a table under the tent or with an umbrella, please note that in your reservation. It’s first come first serve but they will do their best to accommodate your request.

Date Night at deCordova, 52 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln

Spend an evening with someone special at deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park.  Enjoy a private picnic throughout the sculpture park or select a candlelit table on the sculpture terrace.  Listen to live music, wander the sculpture park and relax in the beautiful surroundings.

Picnics include:

  • Sit at a candlelit table with a gorgeous view of Flint Pond and the sculpture park. Or bring your own picnic blanket and set off to explore the lantern-lit park
  • Catered picnic basket with meal of your choice and a bottle of wine
  • Live music

Please remember to bring a picnic blanket and insect protection.  Registrations must be completed the Tuesday before the event in order to confirm your meal selection.

For any questions please reach out to sbuyer@thetrustees.org