Childhood, nostalgia, a place to unplug, and to support local…read more Russell Orchards is amazing. Offering fresh produce, pies, and other pastries. It also has a wine bar and a section to buy knick-knacks, tshirts and hoodies. I would say it's most known for their apple picking but they offer other picking options depending on the season. I went here yesterday and it's not quite apple picking season, but you could pick your own flowers or berries. It's also so fun coming here in the fall when they have a whole pumpkin patch of available pumpkins out on display. So pretty. I love walking around the country store. I grew up with my family coming here just about every summer or fall, and we still make a visit at least once a year. Not much has changed because it doesn't need to.

Wonderful spot on the North Shore to go Apple picking! Great…read moreapple selection and staff were super helpful about what varieties were still well stocked, what apples are best for baking, flavor profiles, and more. To get to the orchard for apple picking, you can either take a hay ride (for a fee of a few dollars) or walk (roughly 10 minute walk on well marked trail). Don't skip the Apple cider donuts! There is a food trailer outside where you can get them made fresh! Inside the farm store, you can get locally sourced items, baked goods, wine flights, and ice cream! There is a seating area connected to the farm store or you can grab a picnic table or bench on the lawn.

Very unpleasant experience. We were only one of two parties there on a sunny Saturday. The other…read moreparty had some mishap with a child that a server made a big fuss about. They were very upset and tried to rope us into it - ridiculous. Then after they left, the server came to us to complain about them! Tried to get us roped in on her side of things! This was all ridiculous, we just wanted to have a beer with each other and our dog and did not need these random people's drama. Gross, won't be back.

Second time here and I love it! Ambience is super chill and there's plenty of space for a group;…read morefamily etc They have a small variety of beers but I feel it fits the bill! Kitchen isn't open as of right now but I only went for the beers! I will definitely come again- the person who worked the bar was also super cool!

Had a lovely fall weekend experience here recently. We went on one of their Sundays with live music…read moreand wood fired pizza. We started off taking a stroll around the property, the trails are a little confusing but it's pretty small so you're not likely to get that lost. It was beautiful and peaceful. We then checked out the farm store which is on the small side but has lots of local goods. The star of the show was definitely the wood fired pizza - we got the seasonal one which had some garlicky kale. It was delicious, the crust was awesome and it's so nice that it is all made from Appleton farms ingredients. The live music was also a fun touch (but REALLY loud if you were close). Was happy to spend an afternoon here!

This was a lovely afternoon trip in the spring. Lots of ambling trails throughout the farm to…read moreexplore. The creamery is home to the farm store during the pandemic, and it is quite small/1 family allowed in at a time. I did get a lemon cream bun and chocolate chip cookie, and there were a number of other pastries/little items to pick up in the creamery. You can also place an order online in advance and pick it up--their online store is quite expansive! Would be great to come back to explore more trails, have a picnic, roam around.

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 place is a local gem. I have always stopped on the way home from work to pick up whatever I…read moreneed that night, but during this pandemic it has been so helpful. The variety and quality of produce is very good, local when in season. The carrots recently have been the best I have ever had. I also check out the plants and flowers, ice cream and grilling meats. The owner and employees are really nice and always make me feel better when I leave than when I arrived.

Thank you Katie for your wonderful veggies. We picked up our called in order today and it was…read moreperfect. Everything I asked for was there just as I had requested. I have always gone to The Farm for the last 42 years and found it to be good now with COVID-19 and the call in order you have out done yourself!!! Thank you for keeping the social distancing protocol and glove/mask use installed. Please keep safe and healthy. We will see you next week :) Linda G.

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

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'd place this market in at least top five of Eastern MA markets. And I'm a farmers market…read moreconnoisseur so this is a legit ranking. It's huge by farmer's market standards and has everything you could think of. Aside from the standard selection of veggies and fruits there's flowers, cheese, yogurt, granola, honey, baked goods, sausage, wine, jams, pasta, pasta sauce, pickles, meat, fish, and spice blends. Plus there were three vendors selling ready made food while I was there. If I lived nearby I would be spending every week and a lot of money here. My favorite booth was the Cape Ann Backyard Growers, which is a group of backyard farmers selling their produce. One of the backyard growers was a 10-year old girl who was a better salesperson then most adults. She offered me some rose tea sweetened with honey and told me about all of their products. I ended up buying some dried bayberry leaves (tastes like bay leaves) from her backyard for $1. I swung by Trupiano's sausages because of Jenna A's review and noticed that every minute someone came and bought sausages. Quite a following. Check out Maitland Mountain Farm's pickles- the giardinera (pickled veggies) are amazing. And the flowers she grows are the most beautiful flowers I have seen at a farmer's market. Plus, she sells little boxes of edible flowers. I forget the name of the vendor I got English Muffin bread from but it's very good. If you're a tourist, still check it out like I did. Parking is free at that time and the park is beautiful.

The Cape Ann Farmers Market aims to promote local agriculture and small scale production, help…read moreboost the Cape Ann economy, and forge community ties to propel Cape Ann into a more sustainable future. Okay, sure. Honestly, that's not all that important to me. I come here for two reasons: bread and sausage. My family loves Trupiano's sausage. It was once sold in some local store, but now, you can only get it here at the farmers market or from Trupiano himself. My parents swear that this is the best sausage EVER, so keep that in mind. I, personally, love the baked goods available here. My favorite is Swissbäkers, a bakery out of Reading. You just can't go wrong here. Try the chocolate croissants or the Choco Weggli. But besides the meat and baked goods (and fruits, veggies, fish, homemade jam, honey, etc), they have plenty of other stuff. Activities for kids, musicians, craft booths -- last year, we bought some bag clips from preteen girls who were raising money for cancer. Sweet, right? This year, it'll be open until October 7th. The hours are 3 - 6:30pm every Thursday. If you're a local, definitely check it out. I try to go every week.

Put the address into your GPS and go there now. Fantastic artisan cheeses and very nice Italian…read moreowners/operators. You can see the manufacturing facility through a large windoe right behind the display case. Their red pepper scamorza is my new favorite cheese on the planet. I have to buy twice as much as I want because I eat half on my way home. I have a similar problem with the ricotta. Before it makes it to the mannicotti or lasagna it was intended for it will be devoured with crackers. Nevermind the fantastic caprese salads during the summer with the mozzarella. Even the crackers they sell are imported from Italy and are top notch.

Wolf Meadow Farm is unbelievable: a stunning transplant of a one-room caseificio from the Apennines…read moreof Italy to the New England town of Amesbury. Here Luca, Christina, and Hakim create artisanal cheeses that embody Carlo Petrini's Slow Food movement: food should be good, clean, and fair. There is an exuberance to their art. They know that their cheese-making improves the cows and environment, that their cheese protects and deepens the "cultura del formaggio", and that their products WILL amaze you by their deliciousness! I highly recommend the cheese-making classes as well. I'd pay just to hear Luca's commentary on life, much less to learn how to make cheese from him! Even after studying food in Italy, I've never come across anyone so passionate about dairy. You'll love the teaching on how cheese is made, the process of making it yourself, the wine, bread, and cheese provided to the students, and the block you get to take home. If you live in New England, come visit Wolf Meadow Farm!

I will never step foot in this place or property and judging by all the reviews for Riversbend and…read moreEssex Marina, Curt and Lindsay appear very green oriented and somewhat discriminatory. I was walking through the marina because I used to go Essex Marina with my family and friends when it was owned by George Lufkin and his family to launch our boat. I accidentally stumbled upon a wedding admiring the beautiful restaurant and as I was walking by to leave the owner Curt said to me can I help you I replied no, he replied there is a wedding keep it moving and then when I replied you could have been nice about it he replied I am a nice guy, I don't have to be your on my property. I just moved to Essex and so far all the restaurants, businesses, and people have been so nice and welcoming. The Lufkin family were so warm and welcoming and these two were not welcoming to the locals. Sorry to the wedding party honest mistake and hope you have many years of happiness. I am sorry to all the staff that work there but the owners attitude needs to change. Every interaction is a learning experience and let this be a clear lesson in hospitality. I am not saying don't go here but want to leave you all with the information to make an informative decision before stepping foot on the property. Don't want anyone to go through the same ordeal as me.

Love Riversbend!!! Perfect location, good drinks and really, really great pizza! A true hidden…read moregem :)