Chip-in Farm, Bedford MA

Chip-in Farm

201 Hartwell Road, Bedford, MA 01730

www.chip-infarm.com

I went here with my 1-year-old today and had a blast. We've been buying their eggs (from free-running hens) for about a year from Cataldo's, a local nursery, and I finally made it out here to see the farm. Although it's a small place, you could easily spend a sunny afternoon letting your kids run around here. There's a free petting zoo (cows, sheep, goats, bunnies, a GIANT pig, and chickens, of course), mini tractors to ride around, and a farm store with a penny candy counter.

The store sells day-old eggs from the farm, random grocery staples, a selection of local meat and produce, and milk/ice cream from Shaw Farm in Dracut, MA (we get their milk from Cataldo's, too). I've been meaning to make it out to Shaw Farm all summer for ice cream, but haven't gotten there yet. There's not much time left of ice cream season, so I'd better hurry up if I don't want to wait until next year!

This was a fun trip we'll be repeating, especially since it's so close to home. And they have delicious eggs from happy chickens.

According to their website, you can have birthday parties here, which I think would be a blast for little kids.

Nashoba Valley Winery, Bolton MA

Nashoba Valley Winery

100 Wattaquadock Hill Road, Bolton MA 01740

www.nashobawinery.com

This place is definitely worth a visit. It's an an absolutely beautiful orchard where you can pick your own apples, peaches, pears, and berries. They also are, as their name points out, a winery, and they specialize in fruit wines. They have a large selection, so you will be able to find something you like without a problem. My favorite right now is their port-style blackberry wine. I went apple, peach, and plum picking here last weekend on a gorgeous day and found that they now carry micro-brewed beer, although I couldn't tell if they were the brewers and I forgot to ask.

Here are the plums that I picked. They were yellow in the trees, but have ripened to a blushing purple on my counter and are waiting to be baked into a plum tart.

Also worth checking out is their restaurant. I took my mom there for their Mother's Day brunch, have been there for dinner, and would definitely go back. Recently, I discovered that they also have picnic lunches you can order on-line. Pick them up when you get there, along with a bottle of wine or a beer, and you're ready to dine at a table on their large wrap-around farmer's porch. Or, bring a blanket and pick your own spot. They don't mind if you bring your own food to eat. I saw a large number of people who had brought their own along with them.

Definitely worth the trip and it's the perfect time of year to go. Next Sunday, they have a barbecue and a live folk band scheduled. October 25th is beer, bluegrass, and barbecue. Could it get any better?