We wait anxiously every year for Marshall's Farm Stand to open for the season. I really appreciate…read moretheir honesty: they tell you whether the produce is their, local, or shipped in. Best of all is their sweet corn. They get it from local Essex County Farms (whenever possible) and they tell you what farm grew it. Always fresh picked, it is SOooo good. Face it, even 24 hours after picking, the sugar in corn has started to convert to starch. They are also one of the few places in the area where you can get Richardson's Ice Cream in a pint or 1/2 gallon tub. The 1/2 gallon is barely more expensive than a 2-scoop cone at the ice cream stands!

Marshall's Farm Stand is located far away from the hustle and bustle of Gloucester and Essex so…read moreit's somewhat hard to find. Depending upon which end of Concord Street you enter, you may not find it. If you go in closer to the beach and fire station, then it's right up the street. If you try from the far end near Essex you'll be in for some turns and bumpy roads. Selection is pretty good. The tomatoes are awesome. They sell a wide assortment of plants and other gardening supplies. They have a nice freezer section with home-made quiche. Fine selection of breads and pastry items, including delicious monkey bread. The place even has a cute cat roaming around outside. The one drawback is that it's not open year round, and last time I was there (last year) it was still cash only. I absolutely hate cash only. No one I know carries enough cash to buy a big order at a grocery store. I'm forgiving of places that have an ATM on sight (like the Clam Box) but when your farm stand is in the middle of nowhere and you're cash only and you have so many awesome items then that's just cruel and bad business. I definitely recommend checking out Marshall's Farm Stand. The selection is very nice for a small farm stand. Just be sure to have some cash handy and don't lose faith if it feels like you've been driving forever- Concord street is a very long street!

This is THE BEST PLACE ever. I don't live in the area but I drive multiple times a month in the…read morespring and summer from Boston because there's nothing like it. First of all, it's adorable. The shop is super cute and they have fresh produce and baked goods, iced and hot coffee and tea with indoor seating. Everyone here is super nice and I love them. They do have a bathroom in the back of the building, you have to go around the back for it. The two best things are the PYO and the animals. The playground is also great but this place gives you containers of veggies for $1.50 to feed the goats and sheep. It's SO MUCH better than other farms where you just get little pellets. My kids have so much fun. It's never busy. The PYO is laid back and plentiful. I have found that other places are crazy busy and have too much going on on the weekends when you're getting apples or whatnot. Ingaldsby never disappoints. There's always apples to be picked and you aren't crammed in a crowded orchard with tons of people and blocked off from accessing the trees that actually have fruit left to pick. Who does that? Why block us off from getting the good stuff?! Ingaldsby doesn't do that. They're perfect and I love it. I want to keep this place a secret so it always stays the way it is but I also want them to make money and others to enjoy what an amazing place this is. I think it would be great if they sold lunch foods like sandwiches or maybe ice cream, but don't worry Ingaldsby, you don't have to change we will always come. They do have hay rides but you'll have to call them for the schedule. I love this place. Please sell some Ingaldsby t-shirts and hoodies so I can represent!

This is a somewhat regular stop for us for farm fresh vegetables throughout the growing season, and…read moreof course the occasional fresh cider doughnuts. This year we ordered a fresh Turkey for Thanksgiving from them and a small apple crisp as well as a strawberry rhubarb pie- What a great turkey wasn't sure what to expect, never had a fresh turkey, it was great! The pies were delicious and I highly recommend!

Really nice farmer's market, with a decent selection, and Marblehead prices, so bring your wallet…read more Great Harvest Bread is gone, but A&J King of Salem has replaced it, and they're just plain better. Cheese from West River is great, as is the produce and baked goods from Cider Hill Farm. I can't wait for June. Come early, and be prepared to park far away. It's crowded.

Marblehead Farmer's Market isn't the largest around, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in…read morequality. For one thing, it's one of the few farmer's markets open on Saturdays, which is great for my schedule. On the other hand it means that it's real busy. We've never not been able to get a parking spot at the Marblehead Veteran's Middle School where it's held, but we've had to do the "wait and stalk the lady with the bags" thing. Oh and get there early, but I guess that applies to all farmer's markets; the best stuff goes quick. Most of the vendors are regulars but there are always new people coming and going. Our favorites include the two stalls selling cheese, one from Vermont selling cow and sheep cheese and the other from Mass. selling goat cheese. I forget the name of the goat cheese farm right now, but the lady who makes and sells it is so nice and remembers us from year to year. Great Harvest Bakery (which is located in Beverly) also comes every week with some great bread. There's at least four fruit and vegetable stands, an organic beef stand, an organic pork stand (mmm, great bacon and chops); a Vietnamese farm stand,and more. They also have people selling crafts and usually some kind of entertainment for the kids. It's a real lively family-friendly hootenany. It's not just food shopping; it's a fun excursion. Oh and let's not forget that the fresh fruit and vegetables are fantastic! The market is open Saturdays, June to October, 9 am to noon.

Excellent family owned tree farm. Only open a short time each year as they effectively manage the…read morefarm. Great service and easy one price for trees regardless of size. Be prepared it can get crazy busy but the family and workers manage the crowds efficiently and in a friendly manner.

Absolutely perfect. Great selection of trees, and the owners were beyond helpful, offering to cut…read moreand haul your selected tree (maybe bring a bow saw if you'd rather do it all yourself). They have a system to make sure you get the tree you selected, guide you to a convenient pick up, and help get it into your car.

Visited Colby farms on the last day of their sunflower filed season. It's $10 cash to park, then…read morewalking to the actual field is free after that. Considering that it was towards the end of the season, you could tell the flowers were on their way out. Some wilting and some had been cut down. It was still beautiful and once in a lifetime experience. The field is pretty much jam packed and there are a view paths you can walk down. I saw people walking under the flowers to go inside, however this looked a little too much for me, so we stuck to the pre-made paths and the perimeter. There were also numerous bees on and around the flowers but luckily we didn't get stung. We also visited the farm stand that had some nice baked goods and fresh produce. There were also two goats outside of this area that were so cute. Overall a fun experience but definitely go late august for the best experience. Beware too, not very accessible and lots of walking on grass.

Great family farm. Care about their product. Friendly staff. Farm store is always stocked well with…read moredelicious items.

The Garden School is simply and amazing place. You can shop at the Farm Stand--which is the…read moreschool's very own Farmers Market right here in your home town, or you can come and volunteer. The Garden School is designed for young adults and teenagers to come and learn farming in real time within their own community. The farm stand teaches youth about business, interaction with the public, selling produce and flowers and customer service. They can also learn how to run a small farm. Working just a few hours per week, one can gain valuable hands-on experience on a real community garden/farm working whatever aspect they choose or they could learn the entire operation. Jon and Ben who run the Garden School are fantastic and patient teachers who love working with our youth and love what they are doing providing a valuable service to this community. The Farm Stand is a great alternative to mass made/chemistry laden produce. This is a place to buy truly fresh picked (that morning or maybe right then as you are buying) produce and flowers grown the all natural way like you would do in your own backyard garden. You can See, Smell and Taste the difference and it cannot get any fresher! Check out my photos and you will see what I am talking about. This is my go to place to volunteer. It is outdoors in the fresh air and it is an absolutely wonderful group of people and an outstanding garden and food stand.

I found "The Garden School" by chance via a recommendation in the Beverly Facebook group. There's a…read morefarm stand at the entrance selling apples, zucchini, and kale among other fruits and veggies. Further up the dirt path is a huge vegetable and flower garden. Visitors are encouraged to explore the garden using the clover paths. My first trip to the Garden School was during their Friday garden happy hour. On select Fridays, you can stop by with booze in hand as this event is BYOB and explore the gardens at your leisure. The school is managed by two brothers and much of the work here is undertaken by volunteers. Make sure to support your local farmers! Oh, and there's plenty of parking in the lot! YELP'S 2020 REVIEW CHALLENGE: #15

I recently visited Barker's farm-stand. I was overwhelmed as I looked over the many and unique…read moreproducts they offer for sale. Items including beauty products, food, sauces,preserves, Jams, chocolates and much more! They feature a deli and will make you a sandwich on the spot with some of the freshest ingredients I have ever tasted. The delightful and friendly woman who made my sandwich thanked me for my business and asked me to come again. It was nice to see gratitude for my patronage of their business, nice touch. I live in Hamilton, so I usually go to my local farm-stand but I would certainly make the drive to North Andover to visit Barker's farm-stand again!

Since I wrote two reviews on farms already (Smolak and Turkey Hill) I figured I should write one on…read moreBarker's as it's the one that has been nearest and dearest to my heart--oh childhood memories. Growing up, this farm was steps from my backyard and I would always walk over with the neighborhood hooligans to poke the animals and inhale some tasty fudge (fat kid). Barker's is one of, if not the oldest farm in town, dating back to 1642 (NA was established in 1646) and has been run by 10 generations of the Barker family. There's a cute little farmstand with fresh vegetables (corn!), baked goods (fudge!), fruit (apples!), flowers, plants, and whatever else. There is also an area around the back of the barn where you can go look at the variety of animals they have and take in a deep breath of fresh animal stench. Barker's also offers your seasonal needs such as pumpkins, Christmas trees, etc. In comparison, Smolak Farm in North Andover is your 5-star place to go, but Barker's will always have that special place in my heart and that's why I love it.

Imaginative decor. The food is great and reasonably priced. Chef Andrew Varela is hard at work in…read morethe kitchen turning out amazing dishes made from locally sourced food. The not - wedge salad is beautifully presented with hot house tomatoes, thick cut bacon and blue cheese that is otherworldly. Mushroom soup has layers of flavor. They now have a seasonal liquor license but in the meantime try their Jun Kombucha. Yum. Got there.

Love everything about Maitland Mountain Farm! They have a huge amount of amazing plants for sale…read moreplus varieties you normally can't find anywhere else. It's a hidden gem on the North Shore. Nasturtium? Dinosaur kale? Yes please!! I was amazed by their high quality succulents too. Maitland Mountain Farm is well known for their *amazing* pickles, but they have so much more. So excited to grow their seedlings in my garden this season!