Tag Archives: farm animals

THE BRAND SPANKING NEW DONUT HUT AT RUSSELL ORCHARDS! (HAYRIDES AND PYO, TOO!)

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Please note –  Russell Orchards is open Monday, Labor Day, in addition to Labor Day Saturday and Sunday. They are typically closed on Labor Day, but this weekend is the exception.

Further enhancing a fun family visit to Russell Orchard’s authentic working farm is a delightful new spot to get your fresh apple cider donuts – The Donut Hut!

I may get into deep water with the following statement, but here goes: Russell Orchards’ apple cider donuts are simply the best ever! My family has been clamoring for their doughnuts for forever. RO donuts are always exactly the same warm golden brown on the outside and tender apple-sweet on the inside. We (try to) save ours until we get home. Gently heated and dipped in powdered sugar makes a wonderful treat, morning or afternoon. Miranda Russell also suggests spreading RO donuts with Nutella or cream cheese.

Thank you to Julia for the photo!

Hayrides are back up and running at Russell Orchards after a break during Covid. And Pick Your Own apple season has begun. Currently available to pick are McIntosh, Gala, Honeycrisp, and Gingergold. We came home with a bag of Honeycrisp and they are fantastic!

Freshly baked blueberry, raspberry-peach, and apple pies are stacked high and ready to take home, along with a lovely selection of Russel Orchards own grown tomatoes, potatoes, Swiss chard, zucchini, summer squash, pumpkins, honey, and much, much more.

Lovely alfresco dining area

Russell Orchards now has an electric vehicle charging station! If you would like to charge up  your EV while picking apples, download the AmpUp app to your phone and plug in when you arrive.

RUSSELL ORCHARDS is located at

143 Argilla Road

Ipswich, MA

For more information and also a wonderful array of recipes, visit the website here.

Please note –  Russell Orchards is open Monday, Labor Day, in addition to Labor Day Saturday and Sunday. They are typically closed on Labor Day, but this weekend is the exception.

PICK-YOUR-OWN TIP TOP TULIPS IS OPEN FOR THE SEASON!

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Charlotte and I visited Tip Top Tulips and were we ever wowed! Not only are the tulips that are blooming perfect for picking and photographing but there are rows and rows of tulips that are about ready to burst into bloom at any moment.

Paul Wegzyn and his Dad, also Paul, have outdone themselves with combining colors and  creating lovely vignettes for photos. Wonders of wonders, Tip Top Tulips is now home to a menagerie of adorable farm animals. We met Midnight the pony, very feisty and fun, along with the more laid back Fancy, the donkey. Next to become acquainted with were nine six-month old Nigerian goats, two tiny baby lambs (and their Moms), and Chad, the sweetest Border Collie puppy you can imagine.

Chad

While Charlotte and I were picking tulips, Midnight decided to cut loose and have a frolic in the tulip field, which made for some very funny moments. Tip Top Tulips is the most wonderfully kid-friendly flower farm and certainly gets Charlotte’s award for the best farm animals ever!

Midnight

Tip Top Tulips is open seven days a week and on weekends, there are extra fun activities, including goat yoga for kids and adults. This coming weekend, the weekend of April 30th – May 1st, a brand new batch of baby goats are arriving to join the menagerie.

Tip Top Tulips is located at 20 Lowes Lane, Ipswich, just off 1A, behind the Dairy Queen.

For more in formation on tickets and goat yoga, visit Tip Top Tulips website here and follow on Facebook an Instagram.

The tulips fields are dedicated to Debbie Wegzyn, who recently passed away. She was the beloved mother and wife of Paul and his Dad.

Fancy

SUPER FUN APPLE PICKING AND ADORABLE FARM ANIMALS AT RUSSELL ORCHARDS!

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We love Russell Orchards throughout the seasons, not only for their wonderful array of fresh fruit, including peaches, strawberries, raspberries, plums. pears, and an infinite variety of apples, but because they have the sweetest farm animals. Ruth and Rosie have to be the cutest pair of goats, but it it Thunder and Cloud, Russell Orchards resident pair of black and white sheep that have won Charlotte’s heart.

Little Lulu is also a top contender for cuteness (on the rare occasions we see her up and about).

Apple picking at Russell Orchards is at the top of our list of fun things to do in autumn.

Russell Orchards is located at 143 Argilla Road in Ipswich. They are open from 9am to 6pm, Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, go here.

Artichoke flowers

MORE SNAPSHOTS OF THE BEAUTIFUL SHORT-EARED OWL, SNOWY OWL, TENDERCROP FARM, AND IPSWICH CLAMBAKE

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Charlotte and I had a wonderful adventure morning checking on the owls at Plum Island. We observed several Harrier Hawks flying low over the marsh grass hunting for prey, a Short-eared Owl perched on a craggy tree, and a Snowy parked for the morning far out in the dunes. We played on the beach and she had a blast zooming up and down the boardwalk at lot no. 2.

Tiny white wedge in the distance

We next stopped at the refuge headquarters to play in the marsh boat that is part of the exhibit about the Great Salt Marsh. She brought along her own stuffed Snowy to join on the boat ride.

Next destination was a visit to see the farm friends at Tendercrop Farm. Currently in residence are a turkey, ginormous steer, pony, chickens, ducks, llama, and the sweetest miniature goat who is just wonderful with toddlers.

I purchased the best steaks we have ever had, Tendercrop’s own grass fed rib-eye, made even more magnificent cooked to perfection by Alex, with a beautiful red wine demi-glace.

Everything at Tendercrop Farm is always amazingly delicious. They have the freshest and best selection of fruits and vegetables during the winter months, bar none.

Great bunches of freshly cut pussy willows are for sale at Tendercrop

Last stop was lunch at the Ipswich Clambake. The owners and staff are just the most friendly. The clam chowder at the Clambake is perfection. Charlotte and I shared a mini super fresh fried clam appetizer and that, along with the chowder, made the best sort of lunch to top off our fun adventure morning.

Tendercrop Farm is located at 108 High Road, 1A, in Newbury.

Ipswich Clambake is located at 196 High Street, 1A, in Ipswich.