Carver Hill Orchard

We were looking for an apple picking place that was a genuine farm and not so much a theme park like so many, and was not mobbed. Carver Hill orchard was perfect! Lots of good apple varieties, compact area, useful color-coded tagging system for figuring out which kinds of apples were on each tree. There's a farm store with incredible cider donuts, ice cream including cider donuts sundaes, fresh veggies, pies, preserves, and more. No hay rides or corn mazes or bizarre stuff. Just what we were looking for!

We really enjoyed our visit. Had a lot of fun pressing our own cider and the apple cider donuts are delicious!!! Also, not too crowded which was ideal for us. We'll come again for sure.

Came to pick some apples around 2pm on a Thursday and had the orchard (nearly) to ourselves! It was a beautiful day to pick apples. We bought some cider, donuts, and pumpkins. Such a nice orchard to visit, will be back for their other seasonal you-pick produce after we Noticed they had cherry and peach trees as well. Would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a low key apple picking experience not surrounded by a ton of people and screaming kids! We loved it.

Delicious donuts- probably the best cider donuts in central Massachusetts. Quiet place. Pick your own veggies late summer and early spring. Tasty Apples. Not as crowded as others around.

Skip Honey Pot, go to Carver Hill instead. Fresh delicious donuts, honey, pumpkins, fresh apples, and not many people. Beautiful orchards to walk around on a quaint farm.

We rang in fall this year by apple picking here. The orchards are beautiful, lots of variety, very helpful and friendly staff. We bought some sauces in the country store as well that were delicious.

Beautiful, not super crowded (even on a Sat afternoon in Sept!), the orchard is right off the parking lot instead of needing to take a train or hayride or long walk to get there... the trees are all different ages with some really big beautiful ones mixed in... and some of the best warm cider donuts I've ever had. We will definitely be back.

A really good choice if you're looking to avoid the crowds and over the top atmosphere of Honey Pot. The cider donuts are amazing.

I was looking for a quieter orchard tucked away from the crowds (and yes, I realize that such a thing at the height of the season is nonexistent) but Carver Hill actually fit the bill. From Boston, it's a scenic drive out to Stow. I couldn't stop gushing over the foliage on the way there - I've turned into a total leaf peeper. Carver Hill is absolutely stunning in the fall, definitely worth a trip. Pleasantly surprised to find the lot half-empty when we arrived on the later side of a Saturday but then it filled up by the time we left around 3. To your right, as soon as you drive in, you'll see an area with pumpkins and the farm store - this is also where you get PYO fruit/veggies if you're paying with credit. If you have cash on hand, you can pay for a bag at the little stand right in front of the orchard. A peck (the smaller bag) was $25. I was a little skeptical at the size but it's a good deal if you really pack your apples in there. From there, the apple orchard. Not the biggest I've been to and the selection was understandably limited. We missed the sign to download the QR code for a map of the orchard and so had to rely on a photo of a thin pole with all the names/colors wrapped around it. Don't forget to stop at the store before you leave. I grabbed some pumpkin pie, jam, and an apple cider donut - they also have apple cider slushies and multiple flavors of ice cream. The donut was THE BEST, made fresh, almost falling apart, thick and generous coating of cinnamon and sugar (also tasted nutmeg and allspice in the coating). Absolutely worth waiting in the line for, but make sure to pay first and get a little yellow receipt/tag from the register before you get in line for the donuts.

We just discovered this orchard recently. It is not one of those giant orchards with a petting zoo, restaurant, etc...No, it is an orchard, and they have apples, lots of apples. We really enjoyed Carver Hill for its lack of the giant Fall crowds. Normally, these orchards are over run with people and the parking lot can feel like Walmart on a Black Friday shopping day. Not here though, and I think because it doesn't have all the extra "bells & whistles" mentioned above they just don't draw as many customers. It makes for a more laid back apple picking experience and its location was only half an hour's drive for us. They do have a small store with the traditional cider donuts, and they were really some of the best we've ever had.

This is the BEST apple orchard around! They do pick your own apples, peaches, blueberries, vegetables, and cherries. They have apple cider donuts, cider slushies, apple crisp, and a cute farm store. They also sell pumpkins, mums, and gourds as well as cheese, pies, ice cream, cider (hot & cold). The drive into the orchard is beautiful as well. The food is all fantastic, especially the cider donuts and cider slushies! Their apple variety includes Honey Crisp, Ginger Gold, Gala, Macoun, Rome, Macintosh, Red Delicious, Cortland, Empire, Granny Smith, and more (depending on time in the season). This orchard stands out for its beautiful, bucolic scenery and its peaceful nature.

I came to Carver Hill Orchards on a Sunday and there weren't too many people there. I've heard some of the nearby orchards like Honey Pot are much busier. A lot of the apple types weren't available, but the ones they had were great! The store on site was very cute and reminded me of Vermont. The apple cider donuts were delicious, but the apple cider was served cold.

A great local place that doesn't have the stifling crowds of others. They're off the road a ways but follow the sign and you'll get there. Bonus for the beautiful waterscape as you drive over. They have apple picking in season and a large indoor market for local veggies and goods. In my personal opinion, the best apple cider donuts in the Stow area.

Carver Hill is a smaller orchard than others in the region, but I found the experience far more enjoyable! There were a ton of apples (there were about six types available to pick at a time) and it never felt overly crowded. The workers are very nice. They also have a small pumpkin patch at the front near the farm stand. Protip: the cider donuts are delicious, but they only have one machine so the lines can get quite long. When we arrived (around 1pm on a Saturday), the line was only 10 mins, but when we left (around 3), it was a 45 min wait. So prepare accordingly! They also have very tasty ice cream!

Horrible customer service. We came here to pick apples and there are absolutely none available within reach. All of the apples were too high even with the picker tool and most of the trees were completely bare. We politely asked for a refund and a team of 3 employees including the manager refused in the rudest way possible. We asked multiple times since we would have spend hours and hours here and walk many miles to fill an entire bag of apples. They still refused and asked us to leave the store. Will never come back! Go to Honeypot and don't waste your time or money here!

Delicious cider and pizza. We came to Massachusetts to visit a friend and see some fall colors, did not disappoint! It was rainy and our kids were a bit insane feeling trapped inside, one of the workers brought some homemade coloring pages and while boxes of crayons. Highly recommend!

We picked apples and it was great! It's a calm place without crowds, full trees. Then at the store we bought donuts which were clearly made on the premises within the last hour. Amazing!!!

Rock solid ... any season. fruit and vegetable picking spring, summer and into late fall. Fresh cider donuts top it off in their compact store offering hand picked fruits, vegetables and local specialties honey, maple syrup and more from their neighborhood. Not the easiest to find but once you do you'll be back. A treat nestled in the country a couple miles north of another, but massive 'pick your own' orchard where one has to wait to find parking, sort through swarms of city folk and then wait in another line to check out. If you call ahead they'll let you know which are ready when. Do yourself a favor hop in the car, set your phone to find Carver Hill Orchards ... enjoy the day!

Went on a Sunday morning. We bought 1 apple cider donut at the same time we bought our picking bag... we pulled the donut out to split and I s*** you not it disappeared... we had to go buy more. Don't plan to split a donut... just get 2 a piece. Hahah donuts were fantastic, plenty of parking, and, nice associates. The shop was filled with many local products. I liked that it felt like a small family vibe and not commercial production.

They acted as though having us there was an imposition. We didn't see any adults running the place- seemed to be surly teenagers who wouldn't help up carry pumpkins to our car 15 feet away. think there must be more fun orchards and pumpkin patches . This place wasa major disappointment.

My husband and I ventured out early Sunday morning for an annual fall flea market, which to our surprise was quite disappointing. Given we were up and out of the house, we decided to go in search of cider donuts. My first thought was Honey Pot Orchard, followed immediately by the thought of what a zoo that place is this time of year. Then I remembered Carver Hill and suggested we see what time they open. Even though we were more than half an hour early (they open at 10AM btw), we were greeted warmly and told that four or five people had already stopped by so the time wasn't an issue. The smell of warm cider donuts was heavenly, so we were glad we weren't turned away! We got corn stalks for $5, huge mums for $5.99, and of course, donuts. The ability to browse without bumping elbows with throngs of families at Honey Pot? Priceless.

It's a small hidden gem family own farm place. Their vegetable fields are probably the most popular one. I went for peach picking but ended up getting lots of tomato and some other vegetable. the prices are SUPER reasonable and cheaper than local farmers' market, for sure!!! Blueberries were tasty, even it's almost the end of the season. Can't wait to see their apple selection this Fall.

End of the apple picking season... Very quiet, no frills orchard. Small store with fruits & veggies, gifts, cider and you can watch them make the cider donuts outside on the porch. Plenty of parking and a couple benches to sit and relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Watch out for the wasps, they like donuts and cider !

I really don't want to write this review because I don't want the hoards descending upon this beautiful place, but I want them to do well! Their website is not well-updated on the current conditions - just call their number and the nice lady will fill you in on the scoop. Came here to pick raspberries and blueberries. The berries were plentiful and delicious! They provide pint carriers - $3/pint of blueberries and $6/pint for raspberries. We also stopped for some ice cream and other goodies (cheese, cider, jam) at the store (they take credit cards). It wasn't crowded and was quite peaceful. We're definitely coming back for apples in the fall and strawberries next year!

Okay, it's not big, it's kinda run-down, it's not very user-friendly (ie no ladders for the tree apple-picking.) But it is friendly, the fruit are delicious, and the cider doughnuts are the best in the area (and yes, I've tried Honey Pot Hill and Bolton Spring)

I visited Carver Hill Orchards early in October. I was looking for a low-key place to go apple picking and have cider donuts with my boyfriend, and I am so glad we went to Carver Hill. The prices per bag were reasonable, there was no hokey hay ride or any gimmicks, and there were still trees filled with apples. Though the line to the donuts was long, it was so worth it for warm, fresh apple cider donuts. The homemade apple crisp looked delicious as well. There was also vegetable picking still available, and the staff was kind and knowledgable. I would definitely recommend Carver Hill.

Great little orchard that offers veggie picking in addition to the apple orchards. The veggies I saw coming out of here looked GREAT and we will definitely come back and pick those next time around. The other reason we will come back is for those amazing apple cider donuts. We visited the donut stand twice, once on arrival and once before departure (they were that great). Late in the afternoon the line took about 45 minutes but we were assured fresh off the line donuts this way and these were the absolute best way to have them. I'm not an apple cider person but the hot apple cider here was really good on a cold fall day. Will be back!

I'm rating solely based on the cider donuts, as I did not pick my own fruit or veggies during my visit. I wanted a quick stop to get some good cider donuts & was pleasantly surprised that you got to watch your donuts being made fresh! They are nice & warm when you get them & are delicious! You can choose to get them with or without cinnamon sugar. The line was a bit lengthy, but worth the wait to get them warm & fresh. They have a separate (shorter) line to get hot dogs, hot cider, apple cobbler, ice cream, etc. & there is a small store where you can get already picked apples, cider, caramel apples & other items. The store is pretty small & didn't have a ton of options. I will be back to go apple & pumpkin picking!

"Hidden gem" is spot on! I came here this past weekend after leaving Shelburne Farms because of the terrible crowds. Just a little drive down the street was this blessing of a farm that was the perfect Apple-picking experience I was hoping for. When we arrived there was no line to begin picking apples (Score!). A wonderful woman talked us through a map of the orchard explaining which trees were the most abundant and how they were color coded. We left very happy with a whole bunch of delicious apples and warm cider donuts! All-in-all, don't bother with the other tourist trap locations. This is my new go to place for fall activities!

This is a total hidden gem. Skip the crowds of the other places and take the little side road to come here. Get a cider donut. These fried pieces of heaven were seriously the best donuts my girlfriend and I ever had. Oh. My. Donuts. You can also pick lots of good vegetables for a great price - a whole lot better than haymarket!

Love Carver Hill Orchards! We stumbled on this place last year after disappointedly leaving Honey Pot Hills last year without a pumpkin. We came back this year for apple cider ($4.49/Gal), the best spreadable gouda cheese (four varieties $5.29/tub), and gourds (small 4 for $1 and large for $0.75 each). We got a pumpkin too ($0.50/LB). The shop stays open until 6PM. The orchard is beautiful and very private. There is a bridge and a small waterfall and it is abut a cemetery. It is stunning in the fall! Check out the website for free cider!

We went blueberry picking this morning at honey pot hill, but saw on google maps that Carver Hill Orchards was less than a 10 minute drive away and had pick your own veggies, so we decided to visit. We had a great time picking our veggies and fruit! The woman who was at the counter was such a sweetheart, and she explained the layout of the farm to us, but the farm is fairly small, so it was very easy to navigate. Don't be fooled by the size though, there were several different varieties of vegetables including tomatoes, sweet and spicy peppers, eggplants, zucchini, and corn. For fruit, they had watermelon, melon, peaches, blueberries, and apples. The veggies cost $1.50/lbs and the corn was 60¢ each. The watermelon was only $1.50! If you don't want to pick your own vegetables, there are plenty in the farm store available for purchase. Although this farm is a bit of a trek for us to come on a weekly basis, we definitely want to come back!

Love this little gem! I didn't do pick your own but I picked up some already picked apples in the store and they were so sweet and delicious and the apple cider donuts are made fresh and so yummy!

so quiet, no crowds - like having the whole orchard to yourself!! They have a nice variety of apples and they had a great vegetable garden. A few picnic tables near the parking lot make it a perfect spot to eat lunch and enjoy your bounty!

We originally planned to go to Honey Pot Hill this morning, but we were treated so badly even prior to getting in, that we got our money back and left (see my review of Honey Pot Hill). we decided to try some place else at the last minute, and stumbled upon this cute little place. we were there early, so the orchard was empty when we started, but within an hour or so it started to fill up. the people are lovely (take a lesson HPH), the donuts were quite good (not as good as HPH, but still good), and the orchard is manageably small. They don't have the amenities of HPH, but we're there for the apples, pumpkins, and donuts; not a maze and a petting zoo. So Carver Hill was perfect for us. Carver Hill has a new customer - HPH has lost one.

LOVE this place!! Went to pick-your-own today with the family. Surprised that they have PYO veggies too. Reasonably priced, good variety and good quality. Low key, relaxing. Sat at the bench and enjoyed their cider donuts and the scenery. Will definitely return.

Skip the more commercialized orchards and find your way to Carver Hill Orchard. You'll swear your GPS is taking you to someone's house as you weave down a windy road past some graveyards, but the twisting and turning is what separates the die hard orchard fans from the weak tourists. You will have to walk down muddy paths, you will have to pull your own pumpkin from a vine (if you want), and you will wander through fields and fields of apple trees in order to get to the fruit that's in season. No hokey tractor rides, no cute speeches on how to pick your own fruit - this is sink or swim, people, and you'll love it. And if you don't love it? Great. There will be less people there the next time I go. The things Carver Hill Orchard has: Apples Apple cider donuts Various apple crisps (to buy there and also to take home) Pumpkins and an actual pumpkin patch Corn Veggies Hot Dogs Sody pop A tractor (parked for pictures) Plenty of parking Very few people Port o' Potties (with hand sanitizer) You can picnic in the orchard (wash your hands after potty, tho). This is the closest you'll get to farm life, even if you have to pay $12 per bag.

What a great little orchard. Having experienced the madness that is Honey Pot Hill in the height of apple season, stumbling upon Carver Hill last fall was a welcome respite. Plenty of room to pick, a great selection of apples, a quaint orchard, and no overfill parking lots necessary to house all the city dwellers looking for a country experience. Really peaceful and lovely. We also waited in line for the last cider donuts of the day, and they were I think maybe the best I've had. Hot, fresh, and so so delicious. Can't wait to pick apples again there this season.

This is the experience I was looking for! I was able to drive up, park, walk around, go into the farmstand, and buy apples without having to wait in a single line for more than two minutes! Carver Hill is in Stow, which is home to a whole bunch of commercial orchards, and it definitely sides more towards 'farm' and less towards 'fairground. ' Their farmstand sells ice cream, baked goods, and hot mulled cider. I didn't see cider donuts, but I did see that I could order food and sit down afterwards without having to shank someone to do it. I bought a half bushel of Cortlands marked '#2' which I assume means 'ugly and scabrous'. I thought they looked fine. For $10 for the whole bag, I thought they looked great! In about ten minutes, when the apple crisp comes out of the oven, I'm sure they will taste great as well. Their apple selection is a little limited (I only saw four varieties, unlike Honeypot's thirty-something) but it's so damn nice there I don't care. As long as they have Cortlands and Macouns, I'm happy. Clean, scenic, beautiful. Pumpkins. Apple trees and fall foliage. I'm coming back, and I'm saving room for ice cream. And pie. And cider.

I went blueberry picking and pick your own veggies today! This place is a hidden gem, family owned.

Want to pick apples with out the huge mob and parking lots? Well...look no further. With so many orchards in the area, everyone in my party felt that this place is very affordable and also has all the bells and whistles you may want to fulfill your apple picking experience i.e apple cider, apple crisp, and of course CIDER DONUTS!!! We really enjoyed the calmness of the area. Not so much touristy as some of the other places. Great customer service. MAJOR TIP!!! Don't leave without checking the store. Get some of their sparkling cider and load up on their cider donuts. The donuts go quickly so be sure to order enough for seconds.

Quiet, relaxed, and not one of the giant orchards (which was great). Best donuts I've ever had. The line was pretty horrible - two bus loads of college kids had decided they needed a dozen donuts each (and until I had one I thought that was excessive but I was wrong). Amazing tomatoes - bought 13 lbs because they were so yummy!!! We will be back for sure.

We headed out to Honey Pot Hill Orchard to go apple picking on a Sunday afternoon, we'd only been there on weekdays for blueberry picking, so we expected a crowd but not THAT big a crowd. We got close and couldn't even get into the parking lot without a long wait. So, we turned around and headed back down the road to find another orchard. Lo and behold, we saw signs for Carver Hill. We followed the signs down the narrow country road to the most peaceful, quiet, non-amusement park like orchard I have seen in a long time. There was a huge selection of many kinds of apples in orchards within a short walking distance of the parking area. As well as a store with pumpkins, cider, squash, etc. They also sell ice cream. The only reason they get 4 stars instead of 5 is because I didn't see cider donuts anywhere.

It's a smallish orchard, where you won't have to fight through crazy crowds to pick some apples. They don't have an amazing variety of apples, but they are fairly cheap, and serve up pies and ice cream at the stand. It's quiet and neighborly.

Some friends from the west had never gone apple picking before-- something I, hailing from the Northeast, hadn't even dreamt was possible. So, to the bucolic, hillside Carver Hill Orchards we went. We picked a cold, drizzly day, not on purpose, but it did mean that we got the whole orchard to ourselves. Yay! Things you should know about Carver Hill: --Apple varieties are somewhat limited. You can choose from Macoun, Cortland, Macintosh, Red Delicious, and Rome (which weren't yet ripe when we came to pick). There were at least a couple of other apple varieties that you could purchase pre-picked in the shop, Honeycrisp and Gala among them. tl;dr: If you want to pick a buttload of green apples, this is not your place. --2015 prices: $22 for a big bag that fits approximately 40 apples, and $14 for a little bag that fits approximately 20 apples. $1 per cider donut or $5 for 6 cider donuts. They accept credit cards with a $5 limit. --They have PYO vegetables (!!) and other fruits, like peaches, earlier in the season than apple picking. --Aforementioned cider donuts are BOMB and fresh out of the oven. They're sold out of a little farm store that also has pre-picked apples in bushels, cheese, eggs, tons of cookbooks, jams, jellies, marmalades, etc. I grabbed some pumpkin butter and it's reallllly good. Like, "I probably should have bought another jar" good. --Besides the farm store, there are no "bells and whistles" here, which we really liked. But if you're looking for a full roster of activities for kiddos, seek elsewhere. We'll take care of picking these delicious apples for you!

This was an OK spot to come apple picking. IT has no bells and whistles so if that is what you want don't come here. It certainly does not have a long like Honey Pot and if apples are your mission you can get those here! But I probably wont come back to spend 30 minutes for $30 without more of a family day out.

Tried to go here today and was met with a rude older lady who refuses to get off the phone to at least great us. After about 15 min of listening to her phone call talking about how they don't actually have a "pick your own" apple orchard we left still without a word from the woman. Do yourself a favor and go to honey pot 1.5 miles down the road! SO MUCH BETTER. At honey pot they have apples to pick, hedge maze, hay rides, farm animals tons of stuff. Stay away from this place. Very very poor.

We came mid-August to pick peaches and blueberries. Both were at their prime. The blueberries were some of the tastiest I've ever had. I love that this orchard is quieter and more rustic than some of the surrounding ones. We strolled among the peach trees with no one else in sight (it was a weekday), and it was a really relaxing experience.

What a great alternative if you're looking to avoid the insanity of Honey Pot or some of the other popular orchards in the area. Hopefully Carver remains a hidden gem! It's smaller - and I found it adorable! Found parking without much trouble and I loved the option to pay with cash right at the orchard entrance to avoid waiting in line for a bag. Not surprisingly, there was a long line for fresh donuts but that was to be expected. I did not wait in the line but did pick up some really yummy cider in the shop! Definitely will revisit next year!

Had a blast last June picking strawberries with my favorite friend Joan. She suggested the outing, so off we went. After the climb up the long driveway and the car parked, we were greeted warmly by Cindy and Chuck Lord, the owners of the orchard. They are two of the hardest working, and giving people I know. At the time, no other orchard around me was offering strawberry picking, so this place was buzzing with local folks of all ages just having a blast picking as many strawberries as they could carry. It was especially fun watching one particular toddler taking his fill of the yummy sweet fruit. The stains on his shirt was a dead give-away, but no one minded. I will come back again. Please offer strawberries to pick this year!

I visited Carver Hill Orchards in late October 2013, getting there just as they opened on the weekend. They had a great selection of apples and we practically had the place to ourselves. Their prices were very reasonable, and they had fresh (and delicious) cider donuts available.

Peaceful, serene, quaint. There were about six varieties? You don't have to fight anyone to pick some apples. Apple cider donuts. Yum =-)

Great service and atmosphere for the whole family. Rustic charm and overall would highly recommend to everyone I know, best donuts in town hands down. Also, the cute boy in the front didn't hurt either ;)

Great place to go apple picking. Best cider donuts I've ever had--they give them to you hot out of the fryer. Beautiful orchard.

Come here! The cider donuts are amazing. Easy parking, easy walk to the fields (no wagon or big hill to walk up). Great little store for apples that are not growing in the fields. This is my new place for apply picking.

Because of drought this year apples are very small and no longer have the juiciness of past years. Love their hand made cider donuts but owners need to up production and get another machine as my wait on Saturday was over 40 minutes. I saw numerous people who were on line get frustrated and leave. Like to support small family farms but you guys need to get your act together as you are losing customers and frustrating them at the same time.....

Stumbled on this place while searching for places close to Boston to have some fall fun. It was $12 for a peck of apples, which I thought was pretty reasonable. Their apple cider donuts are MUCH better than the ones we had at Honey Pot. They were crisp on the outside instead of soft and soggy in 5 minutes. They had great cider too. They were much less busy than other orchards, which suited us perfectly. They had some great apples, and we even picked up some gouda cheese spread and a pumpkin. Definitely recommend this place over others in Stow!

Great place, friendly people, tasty apples. Took our two kids under 5 years and they loved it.