Wed, Sep 30, 2020 @ 9:16AM ADT
Following Fredericton’s Farm Fresh Route!
Apart from the leaves, nothing marks the beginning of fall in our region like harvest season! One of my favourite things to do in fall is to drive along the Wolastoq River to see the leaves turn colour and experience the Fredericton region’s vibrant countryside. A drive in the countryside affords you the opportunity to get in touch with nature, meet the growers and makers that make this region shine, and support homegrown treasures!
As a region known for its agricultural delights, these traditions date back hundreds of years. From the mulled cider blended from multiple varieties, freshly baked goods like your grandma made and more, the Fredericton region is full of stories and traditions!
And with such beautiful surroundings, the journey is just as fun as the destination, so pack your market basket and follow Fredericton’s Farm Fresh Route!
Markets
We would be remiss to not mention the obvious! The Saturday morning meeting spot of artisan producers and farmers, the Boyce Farmers’ Market is a must. Nestled in the heart of the downtown, you’ll find a smorgasbord of products from the entire region that come together Saturdays at what has been named one of the country’s TOP 10 markets!
Whether you’re looking for farm fresh eggs, dairy, meats or produce, this market has got you covered; all in one place! Offering you the utmost convenience and the freshest food you’ll get in the city!
Although the markets are the easiest way to get your farm fresh delights, from time to time I like to visit a couple of farms personally to get as close as I can to where my food came from and learn more about the agricultural process.
So now onto the farm experience!
Farm Stands
Arguably one of the best things about fall (and summer!) road trips, in my opinion, is the pit stops at farm stands along the way. Growing up, my family always stopped along the road to get vegetables on the way to the cottage, a tradition of many locals! The roadside farm stand experience invokes a certain nostalgia of decades past for many, including my great-grandma who would always insist we visit the neighbourhood farmer like she did growing up!
Conveniently located right in the city, you’ll find Hoyt’s Farm Stand, a small booth of rotating offerings through the season, from strawberries to pumpkins!
Along Route 105 you’ll find several roadside farm stands that restock their shelves with the freshest picked produce daily:
Silver Valley Farms: You can’t miss this one! Look for the Big Potato (a great photo-op!). Here, you’ll find a wide range fruits and vegetables (including fiddleheads in May & June!) and freshly baked goods as well.
Moxon’s Country Pumpkin: known for their long-standing family tradition of offering delicious corn, squash and other seasonal vegetables as well as their famous baked goods like spoon bread, chocolate chip cookies and more! You’ll also find the perfect pumpkin to carve here!
Toward Keswick Ridge, you’ll find another group of roadside farm stands:
Sandow Farm: Known for their apple orchard, this farm stand has no shortage of apples and apple related products like jams and jellies!
Coburns Farm Store: The Coburn family has been farming in this area over 200 years! Known locally for their fresh-pressed ciders, each batch contains at least 4 varieties of apples and if you luck out and get your hands on their limited release “Harvest Blend” you’ll have a mix of up to twelve varieties of apples in your cup! They also offer rotating vegetables including cucumbers, squash and more!
River View Orchard: This orchard market stand offers a wide range of produce grown right on their property! From cherries to strawberries, raspberries, apples and pumpkins, this farm is a great place to bring the kids, pick some of your own and stop by the market stand for a few extra treats for the road!
Hands-on Farm Experiences
U-Picks
You can’t get any closer to the farm fresh experience than by picking your own food! Throughout the year, there are various U-picks in operation during the seasons.
Currently, you can pick vegetables at Fosters Fresh Vegetables and Tomatoes at McKinney’s U-Pick both in Maugerville. Or visit one of our many local apple orchards for the perfect ingredients for an apple pie! Get the list of U-Picks here.
Hayes Farm & The Ville: Perhaps the most hands-on farming experiences offered in the region, both The Ville and Hayes Farm offer you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the process, get your hands dirty and learn everything from plant care, to turning your own crops and harvesting your own vegetables.
Kings Landing: If you’re interested in the history of agricultural New Brunswick, be sure to visit Kings Landing which regularly offers demonstrations of agriculture in the region. Learn about harvest season, manually operated machinery and centuries-old cooking practices! Keep an eye out for their harvest dinners too!
Libations
So now that you’ve explored the region and picked (out) your farm fresh products, you can’t stop there! To complete your locally sourced dinner, you can pair it with a cider or craft brew.
Winter pro tip: Maple Syrup
Make a note of this one for later!
New Brunswick is known for its maple syrup and we’re lucky to have a few of our own right here in this region! Get a taste of the season (typically in March) at Dumfries Maples, who even have a pancake house onsite! Alternatively, you can learn the traditional old fashioned way by visiting the Kings Landing sugar bush!
Whether it’s picking your own produce, sinking your teeth into a piece of bread that tastes just like the century’s old recipe your grandma made; or shucking a fresh ear of corn, there’s so much to experience in harvest season in Fredericton!