Even though its later in the apple picking season you can still go and enjoy the cornucopia filling! The harvest is in full swing, so don’t miss out on the bounty of the season. Riverview Farm, just over the hill in Plainfield, New Hampshire, offers the perfect combination of family fun and seasonal produce.

To start, entertain the kids with loads of outdoor activities! Get lost in the infamous corn maze, following the clues and piecing together the story. You will love meeting a scarecrow at every turn! When you make your way out—if you do—you will find yourself in a sprawling pumpkin patch. Be sure to pick a few of their luscious pumpkins for holiday pies and other delectable dishes; don’t forget to save the seeds for healthy snacking! Choose several small gourds and pumpkins to adorn your Thanksgiving table.

After hauling your pumpkins back to the scale on a red wheelbarrow, head up to the orchards, tote bags in hand, where you will find Empires, Honeycrisps, and Galas galore. Sample every kind before filling your bags to the brim. Finally, on your way back to the barn store, enjoy the row of sunflowers and then purchase a bouquet in the store for your home.

The most charming part of Riverview Farm for our family in autumn is always the small barn store, bursting with the sights and aromas of the season. Enter and smell sweet apples being weighed on the utility scale; nibble on a fresh cider donut and sip a steamy cup of hot apple cider. While you are enjoying your snack on the barn porch, be sure to watch out for Mr. Bities, the local barn cat of remarkable size and sass. As his owners note, “He did not get his name for nothing!” After your treats, fill your car with harvest items that will bring warmth to your house all winter long. Pick from the selection of beautiful dried-lower arrangements hanging from the rafters, and choose from the rustic boxes of bumpy gourds and sweet squashes.

This November, serve some of your fresh fall foods alongside (or inside!) the turkey. With your just-picked Riverview Farm apples, make an apple stuffing. Simply core and dice a few firm apples and mix them with the bread crumbs. Toss in a handful of pecans and maybe some cranberries before you stuff the bird for the quintessential flavors of fall. Bake a few varieties of the lovely squashes that you have purchased, and serve them sliced in quarters, sprinkled with roasted cinnamon pumpkin seeds. Alongside the plethora of pies at the table, consider adding some jam bars made with Riverview Farm’s raspberry or blueberry jam. Be sure to visit the farm’s recipe page to find more inspiration.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks to Paul and Nancy Franklin for sharing their wonderful farm with us. To find out more about the many seasonal events at Riverview (including horse-drawn wagon rides), visit the main site.