The Apple of My Eye—Homegrown Fruits Bring Out the Best of Summertime
By Kaitlyn Proctor
There’s nothing better than biting into a deliciously ripe piece of fruit straight from the garden. For many in the region, this act is wholly reminiscent of a sunny childhood spent outdoors, black flies nibbling behind your ears.
Many local fruit providers create the opportunity for locals to revisit their childhood with a pick-your-own experience, pulling people from the everyday hustle and bustle to the quiet essence of a field or orchard full of butterflies and bees flitting about.
Enjoy summertime this year with a trip to a local berry-picking farm and take a trip down memory lane thanks to these local fruit farmers.
Photo Credit: Bartlett’s Blueberry Farm
Pete Bartlett and his wife Courtney Hazleton get the rare opportunity to work with one of the few naturally blue food items in the world, and they get to do so right here in the region with a stunning view of Mount Sunapee.
With 14 different varieties of blueberry plants, Bartlett’s Blueberry Farm offers an escape from life’s stressors and the chance to reclaim a favorite summertime pastime: blueberry picking.
“My favorite blueberry on the farm is a variety called Berkley. They’re unpopular amongst growers because they’re on the harder side to grow in our area, and they’re giant woody plants making them less ideal in tighter rows. That being said, the size of the fruit and the flavor is, in my mind, exceptional.” explained Bartlett, who purchased the farm from his parents who originally bought it in 1985.
With the land came 5,000 mature blueberry bushes planted in rows, 300 feet long, eight feet apart, and 60 plants per row. Critical to a healthy and productive blueberry bush is pruning. “Our detailed style of pruning is a holdover,” said Bill Bartlett, former owner.
Today, there are roughly 4,000 plants and plenty of work to do as Pete gears up for the 2026 picking season. He acknowledges that while it is easier to run to the grocery store and grab a carton of blueberries from Peru, it’s much more special to purchase blueberries locally.
“When I was a kid in the ‘80s, I loved summer because our diets changed. Fresh fruits and vegetables were everywhere, but only available for short periods of time. What’s so mind-numbing now is that you can buy blueberries year-round in the grocery store, but check the labels! They’re a product of Peru or Chile or Argentina (or somewhere else so far away); But there are local farms and local people producing food that hasn’t been put on a truck,” Bartlett said. “There are people here in your communities who are growing amazing fresh products that you can buy directly from them. The importance of that is too often overlooked. We’re too used to going to the grocery store where we can get what we want when we want it that there’s less thought about local agriculture. So as summer kicks off keep an eye out for local farm stands or business, there are a lot of us around.”
Pick-your-own blueberries at Bartlett’s Blueberry Farm will start in early-July. To round out the experience, consider a glamping stay in the on-site yurt, available for reservations on Airbnb.
Riverview Farm
Nestled next to the Connecticut River, Riverview Farm has been owned and operated by the Franklin family for over 40 years.
With over 2,000 apple trees, acres of blueberries, fall raspberries, elderberries, pumpkins, flowers, homemade cider and a corn maze, there is much to enjoy at this Plainfield farm. With more than 15 varieties of apples spanning the season, there is surely one for all tastes.
The Franklins know full well just how fun it is to reconnect with nature, even as an adult. As the Franklins say on their website, “Farms have a way of reminding us of what’s important. An afternoon spent picking apples, sampling doughnuts, cider and enjoying the peace of Riverview Farm and Connecticut River Valley is an ideal way to step back from the rush of modern life and reconnect with family, friends, and even one’s self.”
If you’re curious about what to do with all the fruit you handpicked, check out Riverview’s website, where the Franklins provide a recipe section to help inspire some culinary creativity. You may also choose to join Riverview during the holiday season when they offer wreath classes using local greenery and decorative elements from the farm.
Photo Credit: River View Farm
King Blossom Farm
Dozens of highly sought-after old apple trees line the orchard at King Blossom Farm, treasured by many for their reliable yield. Bursting with crisp flavor set amidst a childhood backdrop, nostalgia sets in for many who visit the farm during PYO apple season. “I've had people say, ‘You know, I come here to pick because you have these old trees, non-GMO. Which I never thought of, but that's true, you know. People are thinking those kinds of things now,” said Jeff Figley, who owns King Blossom Farm with his wife, Susan. “And the fact that it's just an old orchard and we brought it back. It took a couple of years. I didn't know anything about it, about how to maintain apple trees, but I learned, and the Extension service helped a lot.” Some of the apple varieties dangling from apple tree branches throughout King Blossom Farm include heirloom Macintosh and Red Delicious, which are more than 130 years old. Every year, bushels of apples are reserved for Susan’s one-of-a-kind fruit syrups and jams, just a few of the farm’s canned goods available for purchase. “What we have done is carved out a unique place for us,” Figley said. “We’ve got syrups that you’ll never see anywhere. It’s quite a variety, like red plum syrup. You'll see lavender syrup, but lemon verbena and other things that you'll just never see anywhere.”
Photo credit: Grow A Pear Farm
As soon as the snow melted on their land in 2012, Tyler and Nikki Royce jumped at the opportunity to plan their property. A variety of fruit trees were planted in 2013, and the apiary was started in 2015.
Today, their orchard on Grow A Pear Farm is home to apple, pear, peach, and medlar trees, nurtured without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, ensuring a healthy ecosystem.
Located on a six-acre parcel in Charlestown, there are more than 30 varieties of heirloom apples, pears and peaches, along with their sustainable apiary, which includes honey production.
The Royces have one mission in mind: “[To] provide our local community an opportunity to learn about nature through our farm by providing raw honey and unique organic fruit that excite the taste buds and open the minds to the natural world. Our orchard is a place where the community can gather and learn about sustainable practices and see how we work in partnership with nature and wildlife.”
More fruit farms to spend your sunshiny summers at
Expand your berry-picking world with this handy list of local PYO options:
Blueberry Acres
Photo credit: Bascom Road Blueberry Farm
Acworth, NH — Much to the excitement of the local community, the fields at Blueberry Acres in Acworth open for picking in mid-July and remain open until the evening hours. To learn more about daily picking conditions, call 603-762-9976 or follow Blueberry Acres on Facebook. Learn more at facebook.com/blueberrystand
Bascom Road Blueberry Farm
Newport, NH — Voted the No. 1 in the Top 5 Best Berry Picking Spots in New Hampshire by WMUR’s Viewers’ Choice in 2024, Bascom Road Blueberry Farm is an idyllic farm to visit if you’re looking for blueberries. Kristy and Keith Brodeur spent countless hours tilling the land and planting fruit bushes. They offer pick your own pumpkins in the fall and pick your own apples are coming in 2027. Learn more at: bascomroadblueberryfarm.com
Beaver Pond Farm
Newport, NH — Becky and Bennie Nelson of Beaver Pond Farm are one of the few farms to offer raspberry picking in the region along with blueberries and apples. The fields, conveniently located near their farm store on John Stark Highway, are an exclusive getaway where patrons can buy berries or apples by the container. Learn more at beaverpondfarm.com
Edgewater Farm
Plainfield, NH — Ray Sprague’s parents introduced pick-your-own strawberries at Edgewater Farm back in the ‘70s without knowing just how popular the fruit would be. Today, the Spragues begin their strawberries in the greenhouse, getting a jumpstart on fruit production to keep locals stocked up and happy. The endeavor spurred the creation of their farmstand on 12A, where you can find freshly picked fruit if you’re not interested in picking it yourself. Learn more at edgewaterfarm.com
