Celebrating Fall in
Western MA
Without a doubt, fall is my favorite time of year. I
love the fall foods. I love the changing leaves. I love the clean crisp air! And of course, there are a few essential fall
activities every New Englander must enjoy during the Autumn season. I decided to focus on what I consider the five
fall classics – apple picking, pumpkins, fairs, foliage and cider donuts.
Apple Picking
A day at the apple orchard
is definitely a fall essential. This is
one of our most abundant regional fruits, and it is so fun to try the fresh
varieties. Check out this list of local
pick-your-own orchards. My personal
favorite is Cold Spring Orchard in Belchertown.
It is run by the UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture, and I love
that I can support the school and ag education while also getting some great
apples. Be sure to call or check their website before heading over to PYO, some days only the farm store is open. Because of their affiliation
with the Stockbridge School they often have different/unique varieties compared to local
orchards and great prices. They were the
first place I ever tried a honeycrisp!
Atkins Cider Donuts
I know
that you can get cider donuts when you are out apple picking. But this is fall in Western MA, and they are
Atkins cider donuts. They’re more or
less synonymous. Seriously, just head to
Amherst and buy some cider donuts, you’ll thank me later!
Pumpkins
If you didn’t get enough
down of the farm fun while you were out apple picking, that’s okay because it’s
time to head to the pumpkin patch.
Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes but if you plan to turn yours into
a Jack-O-Lantern be sure not to buy it to early! A Cookie Before Dinner has a great round-up
of local pumpkin patches throughout Western MA.
Fall Fairs
While our urban core is
growing, Western MA remains a largely agricultural area, and we have the fall
fairs to show for it!! Blandford,
Cummington, Littleville, Tri-County, Franklin County and of course the BigE! While fair season started way back in
August, you’re not too late for some old-fashioned fun at the fair. The Big E runs until October 2nd
and the 159th annual Belchertown Fair is being held on the town common September 23 –
25. Belchertown boasts free admission
livestock and craft competitions plus delicious food and bake sales hosted by
all the local churches!
Bonus: Here are some tips for saving money at the Big E before you head to West Springfield.
Foliage
Sometimes
a great autumn day involves nothing more than a tank of gas and a drive down a
country road to enjoy the scenery. Some great
spots for checking out our changing leaves include the Mohawk Trail, Route 44,
or the Quabbin Reservoir. If you want to
enjoy your view from a little higher up, check out the observation towers at
Mt. Sugarloaf in Deerfield, Mt. Tom in Holyoke, Skinner State Park in Hadley or
Mt. Greylock. Many of the observation
decks can be driven to, otherwise pack a picnic and enjoy a nice hike through
the changing leaves.
