Tag: Appleton Farm

Nichole’s Picks 10/15 + 10/16

Posted on by Nichole S.

Pick #1:  Rockport Harvest Festival

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Pick #2:  Grand Prix of Gloucester

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READ ALL ABOUT THE GRAND PRIX OF GLOUCESTER HERE

What is the Gran Prix of Gloucester? Take a dramatic harbor front park at the height of fall foliage season. Set up a twisting grass, dirt and asphalt racecourse with challenging obstacles. Unleash a crowd of world class cyclists to charge through the sharp curves and jump the barriers. Add screaming, cowbell ringing fans incited by a dynamic announcers. What do you have? One of the premier bicycle races in the country, right here in Gloucester.

The Gran Prix of Gloucester is two days of international calibre races where competitors from all over the US, Canada & Europe converge to race on the most beautiful race course in North America.

The 2016 dates are 15 & 16 October.
Amateur Races: 8:00am-2:30pm (both days)
Kids 5-12 race 2:20pm (Sunday only)
Elite Women: 3:00pm (both days)
Elite Men: 4:00pm (both days)

 

Pick #3:  Appleton Farm:  Down on the Farm Concert Series

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READ MORE ABOUT THE DOWN ON THE FARM CONCERT SERIES HERE

Sunday, October 16
4-7PM

Member Car: $20 Nonmember Car: $30

Contact Information
978.356.5728 x4112
appletoncooks@thetrustees.org

Join us for fall concerts in the Stone Paddock! This family-friendly concert will offer live music from Soul Rebel Project. Food will be available for purchase from Boston Burger Company and CopperDome Crust Pizza. Beer and Wine will be available for purchase from Ipswich Ale and Old Planters Brewing. Or bring your own picnic! Enjoy our lawn games, meet our animals, and enjoy a gorgeous fall evening on the farm. Gate opens at 4pm, concert begins at 5pm. Sorry no dogs or byob.

No pre-registration required. Cash accepted at the gate. Bring your own lawn chairs.

 

As always, for a more comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid

Nichole’s Picks 9/17 +9/18

Posted on by Nichole S.

Pick #1:  Appleton Farm Family Farm Day

One of my favorite fall events!

Read all about it HERE

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Come celebrate the fall season with some good old-fashioned fun on America’s oldest working farm. Grab your friends and family and join us at Appleton Farms for our annual Family Farm Day! Visit with our farm animals, climb aboard a tractor, paint your own pumpkin, learn about beekeeping, challenge your friends at the potato spoon relay or hay obstacle course, and make sure to enjoy a pony ride! Looking for more? There are old-fashioned games like tug-o-war, crafts, face-painting, farm tattoos, and live music by Ben Rudnick and Friends.

All this activity will surely have you hungry for some fresh-from-the- farm food. Visit the food court where you will find our own 100% grass-fed burgers, seafood selections from Joe’s on a Roll, and Sa’ls Pizza. Snacks, drinks, and dessert will include White Farms Ice Cream, Pure Pastry, cider donuts, popcorn, Mojo cold-brewed coffee, and lemonade.

Admission includes everything except food and beverages. This event runs rain or shine. Admission fee is per car.  Trustees members don’t forget your membership card to receive discounted admission. Not a member yet? Join at the event and receive a free Appleton t-shirt plus $10 off a family membership! (Promotion available at the event only).

 

Pick #2:  Fish Box Derby

Thanks to Greg Bover’s post back on August 31st, I have had the Fish Box Derby on my radar for a couple of weeks!  Which is great, because I often miss it.  This year’s event takes place on Sunday, September 18th at noon.

Read Greg’s Post HERE

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Pick #3:  Cape Ann Youth Hockey Presents: Bruins Alumni vs. Gloucester Police Department

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FREE

Friday Night (Sept. 16th) @ Talbot Rink

Gloucester Police vs. Bruins Alumni

Puck drops at 7pm

Fishermen Girls Hockey will be running a concession with snacks, drinks & pizza

Come wear your CAYH colors and cheer on the teams!

 

As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid

Nichole’s Picks 5/7 + 5/8

Posted on by Nichole S.

Pick #1:  Appleton Farms Mother’s Day Spring Alpen Festival

Read All About it HERE

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Date & Time
Sunday, May 8
10AM-12PM

Cost
Moms are FREE; Member Adult: $24; Member Child: $12; Nonmember Adult: $30; Nonmember Child: $15

Contact Information
978.356.5728 x4112
appletoncooks@thetrustees.org
Appleton Farms
Hamilton and Ipswich, MA

Directions to Appleton Farms

Register Now

A fresh idea for Mother’s Day!  Spend the morning at Appleton Farms ushering in the season of spring, the fresh flavors of the farm, and the dairy herd’s return to pasture.  A tradition originating in the Alps, this day will include traditional Swiss treats and homemade breakfast goodies from our farm kitchen.  A fondue bar, live music, and more. Let the Moms relax and enjoy the festivities while the kids help us open the barnyard, meet the baby animals, and make a gift for mom. Flower crown making in the Carriage Barn for all to enjoy. Decorated with bells and flowers, the cows will end the celebration in a traditional cow parade to their new spring pastures.

FREE for moms! Please register all other adults and children. (Example: If Dad is registering for the family of five -Mom, Dad, and three kids- add 1 adult and three child tickets to your cart.)

This event runs rain or shine. Please pre-register so we have enough refreshments for all. Children under 1 are free.

 

Pick #2:  Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum 

I realize I wrote about the Arnold Arboretum in another “Picks” post, but Lilac Sunday for Mother’s Day is a pretty special event.

READ ALL ABOUT THE EVENT HERE

Sunday, May 8th 10:00-3:00

Of the thousands of flowering plants in the Arboretum, only one, the lilac, is singled out each year for a daylong celebration. Mainly located on the edge of Bussey Hill Road in the heart of the landscape, the lilac collection at the Arnold Arboretum is among the premier collections of these plants in North America.

Tours of the lilacs and other special collections, family activities, and food vendors make for a memorable day. Be a part of this beloved Boston tradition! Check back for the day-of schedule of events.

The Arboretum is open as usual from dawn to dusk. Activities are available from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and refreshments are available from 11:00am to 3:00pm.

 

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Pick #3:  Boston Harbor Cruises:  Free Ferry Day

May 7th, 2016

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READ ALL ABOUT FREE FERRY DAY AND BOSTON HARBOR ISLANDS HERE

Free Ferry Day!

As part of National Park Service Centennial Summer, we open our 2016 season with a FREE FERRY DAY – this is a special one-day ferry schedule to either of the two most popular Boston Harbor Islands – Georges and Spectacle Islands.

  • Free tickets for the Boston Harbor Cruises ferry will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis at the Ferry Center on Long Wharf-North.

  • No tickets will be given out at the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center on the Greenway or Long Wharf South ticket booth.

  • Free tickets are from Boston only. Hingham and Hull ferries will resume later this season.

  • The ticket window opens at 8:30 am. On nice weather days, all free ferry tickets are distributed before 11 am, with all of the departures listed below completely booked at that point.

  • Tickets will be handed out for the earliest ferry, then the next, and so on, until all ferry seats for the day are distributed.

  • Each adult in line may pick up a maximum of 4 tickets.  There will be no special arrangements for groups of more than 4 to be on the same ferry.

  • The inter island service in/out of Boston is not available on Free Ferry Day.

Don’t forget to visit the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center on the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway for free programs available throughout the day!  Check our calendar for program details.

There are three departures from Long Wharf North to Georges Island for Free Ferry Day. Travel time is 45 minutes. Ticketholders must return on the ferry time listed with an average alloted time of 3-4 hour round trip per ticket.Ticketholders must return on the ferry time listed on ticket.  All tickets will have pre-assigned return time.

 

There are two departures from Long Wharf North to Spectacle Island for Free Ferry Day. Travel time is about 25-30 minutes. Ticketholders must return on the ferry time listed with an average alloted time of 3-4 hour round trip per ticket. Ticketholders must return on the ferry time listed on ticket.  All tickets will have pre-assigned return time.

As always, for a more comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid

Nichole’s Picks of the Weekend 2/21 and 2/22

Posted on by Nichole S.

Is it wrong to simply repost last week’s Blog Post about Picks of the Week for February Vacation?   I mean…they still all hold true!

See all of last week’s ideas to kill time over vacation here!

Please don’t forget that in addition to all of the top picks from last week, I HIGHLY recommend:

1.  The pool at Cape Ann Marina and Resort.  We bought a vacation week pass last Friday and have already used it a few times and had a blast!  If you don’t want to invest in a vacation week pass now that the week is almost over, Day Passes are available!  Check it out for sure!

2.  Appleton Farm in Ipswich is offering a variety of fun activities this weekend!

Including:

Farm Fun Nature Crafts and Cookies  Saturday 2/21 10:00-12:00

Meet the Maples Tour   Saturday 2/21 1:00-2:00

The Mini Moos Tour      Saturday 2/21 2:30-3:30

 

3.  Pinocchio at the Wheelock Family Theatre

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The world premiere of an original adaptation influenced by Japanese theatrical traditions, Pinocchio’s adventures are told through mystical creatures, live musicians, and gymnastic choreography, making the transformation of an animated puppet into a real live boy, a magical, dynamic, and deeply moving experience.

4.  New England Sports Park!!  Get Your Tubing On!

                               

Forced Family Fun Fall Farm Tour

Posted on by Nichole S.

The last official day of summer marks the date for what we consider to be one of our favorite fall events. And when I say “we” I really just mean myself and the boys, because my husband isn’t necessarily fond of being on tour for the entire fall season. But, he does it….so, brownie points there.  This year’s Family Farm Day at Appleton Farm in Ipswich is happening on Sunday, September 21st from 10-3…oddly enough it may reach into the 80s.  Sadly, the Schraffts will most likely be no-shows this year due to an 11:30 hockey game…go figure.  But, you should all go!

Check out the Event

Our fall days at an assortment of farms continue to be some of my favorite memories with the boys. We are, and always will be, “summer people” but, that having been said, there is something about the crisp weather, the pick-your-own abundance of super yummy fruit, the music, the changing leaves….the cider donuts, etc. that gives me super warm fuzzies.  I am a stickler for tradition and there is something sentimental about the annual trip to each place that makes me happy.  I love seeing how much the boys have grown from autumn to autumn and see what parts of each farm draw them in each season.  My boys have also always been a bit obsessed with farm animals.  There are no fewer than 50 goats, cows, and pigs that could tell you tales about a Schrafft boy’s finger being shoved into places they don’t belong.  Primarily noses….but, there was that one time….   Bygones.

This year our Farm Tour will take a significant hit due to conflicting hockey schedules, but, we still have a few “must do” romps that I’m not willing to skip. Our favorite farm of all is Applecrest Farm in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. First of all, I kind of like that it is a bit of a drive.  A little known secret is that I’m a wicked Sunday driver. Again, my husband may disagree that the ride is a bonus, and…if I’m being honest here…it did lead to quite a marital tiff one year. The words “remind me again what exactly is wrong with the apples that are 20 minutes away from home?” were uttered in traffic on the way home….and we may or may not have missed the first quarter of the Patriots game.  I digress. Applecrest is a fantastic destination and if you take the back roads, the drive is stunningly gorgeous.  If you check out their event calendar you may get lucky enough to catch their super cute “Story Book Hayrides” that are put on by the drama students of a local high school to help pay for their annual school trip. They also host car shows, a field plowing day, and other events in addition to the already excellent activities that can easily fill a whole day.  I’m a giant fan of the petting farm (small barnyard animals, peeps….seriously) and the excellent blue grass music.  The good eats don’t hurt either!  There’s also some good shopping to be done in their barn.  We always come home with some classroom snacks for the boys and some sinful treats for the house.

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We have lots of close runner-ups when it comes to local farms, but I’d rather hear yours!  So, with fall approaching, where do you and yours always head?  I’d really like to know!