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10 Great Boston-Area Apple Picking Orchards

bag of apples

Belkin Family Lookout Farm

10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 89 Pleasant St., South Natick, 508-653-0653, lookoutfarm.com

One of the oldest working farms in the country, Belkin Family Lookout is a staple in Boston, and the closest to the city. With Asian pears, apples, and pumpkins, your will find plenty to pick here. During the week, families can enjoy a hay pyramid, farm-themed play area, moon bounce, and more (all included in the admission fee). The weekends bring even more delights, with face painting, hayrides, and (for $5) pony and camel rides.

Brooksby Farm

9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, 54 Felton St., Peabody, 978-531-7456, brooksbyfarm.org

In Brooksby’s farm-fresh store, the smell of cider fills the air, with doughnuts and fresh fudge abound. The store also takes on a heartwarming holiday theme throughout the seasons, with fresh pies and baked goods to fill gift baskets. Brooksby is perfect for a relaxing weekend, with barnyard animals and the perfect orchard for your apple-picking needs.

Dowse Orchards

9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays & Sundays, 98 North Main St., Sherborn, 508-653-2639, dowseorchards.com

With 200 years of farm production and 60 years with a roadside farm stand, Dowse is definitely a safe bet for good fall fun. Fall at Dowse brings pumpkins, mums, and pick-your-own apples. In the beginning of October, many apple varieties reach their prime at Dowse, specifically Golden and Red Delicious. If your apples are going toward a sweet tooth, grab some Goldens for the perfect pie, or pick some Reds to slice for a salad.

Connors Farm

8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, 30 Valley Road, Danvers, 978-777-1245, connorsfarm.com

Though apple picking is available all week, on weekends Connors Farm can’t be beat for activities. With a corn maze, hayrides, bouncy houses, pumpkin tetherball, and more, the weekends have countless family activities available. In October, Connors takes on Halloween, transforming into a haunted farm with a flashlight maze ($14), Haunted Corn Fields and Zombie Safari Paintball on Friday and Saturday nights (each $24.99 or $39.99 for both).

Boston Hill Farm

9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily (bags only sold until 5 p.m.), 1370 Turnpike St., North Andover, 978-681-8556, bostonhillfarm.com

If you are the eat-as-you-go type of apple picker, Boston Hill Farm is the place for you. September and October are prime time at Boston Hill for the Macintosh, Cortland, and Macoun apples, perfect for munching while picking. Along with the standard apple cider doughnuts, Boston Hill’s farm store has less traditional offerings like cinnamon doughnuts and sugar pumpkins (you can pick the real thing in their fields, too). After you’ve picked your fill, grab a scoop of Richardson’s ice cream and go hang out with the bunnies and sheep.

Highland Farm Orchard

10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, 635 Highland St., Holliston, 508-429-8370, highlandfarmorchard.net

Though the apples are the only fruits available here for pick-your-own, Highland Farm Orchard is currently picking fresh yellow-and-white corn, Asian pears, and veggies daily to stock their store. With 11 different varieties in the orchard, Highland Farm keeps apple pickers around all season. If you can’t make it out before the end of October, Highland is the safest bet, as their Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Braeburn apples will be ready in early November. Be careful—hayrides are reservation only, so be sure to call ahead to reserve one for your family.

Honeypot Hill

9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, 138 Sudbury Road, Stow, 978-562-5666, honeypothill.com One of Boston’s premier orchards, Honeypot Hill is known for hayrides, delicious fresh cider and cider doughnuts, caramel apples, and apple pies. The whole family can enjoy the new Big Green Monster Hedge maze. On the weekends, Bosc pears are available for pick-your-own as well.

Shelburne Farm

9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, 106 W. Acton Road, Stow, 978-897-9287, shelburnefarm.comReady to start decorating for Halloween? Pick the perfect pumpkin at Shelburne for $0.60 per pound, or pick one up from the stand on your way out. On the weekends, a $5 pass gets parents and children into hay and tractor play areas for after-picking fun, or families can enjoy hayride tours of the orchard for the full experience.

Carver Hill Orchard

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 12 p.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays, 101 Brookside Ave., Stow, 978-897-6117, carverhillorchard.comWith summer squash, eggplant, corn, and beans, Carver Hill Orchard offers year-round picking, but comes to the height of its pick-your-own season with the fall apple and pumpkin selection. Macintosh, Macoun, Honey Crisp, Baldwin, and more apples line the rows at this farm.

Smolak Farms

7 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, 315 South Bradford St., North Andover, 978-682-6332, smolakfarms.com

With the most varieties of any farm near Boston, Smolak Farms is the best choice for varied picking. In the Antique Apple Orchard, Smolak Farms grows 20 types of apples, preserving some varieties that are no longer grown commercially, including the Pink Pearl and Sheepnose. The farm has four other orchards, with plenty of unique options for visitors. With hayrides, activities, animals, and more, Smolak Farms is an all-around winner.

Apple picking is about more than juicy fruits. A lot of farms also offer fun activities for the whole family. Happy fall from Johnson & Rohan!

girls in wagon

Johnson & Rohan Insurance

Johnson & Rohan Insurance is a family owned and operated, full-service, independent insurance agency located in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. With over 100 years of experience, Johnson & Rohan ensures every customer receives the lowest possible premiums and best possible coverages. As an independent agency, Johnson & Rohan represents many of the top insurance companies in the State. The agency invests in state of the art rating software with the ability to take the needs of an individual or family and we shop these needs with dozens of companies to find you the best rates and coverages. But more than that, we think it’s our old fashioned sense of customer service you’ll notice first. We’re a family business treating our clients and their families as we would our own.

At the time of a claim…

People don’t buy insurance thinking about claims, but claim time is where the true value of an insurance agent stands out. As independent agents, we work for you at the time of a loss. We advise and advocate for you during this process and take the extra time to ensure you get a prompt and fair settlement. You will have a veteran insurance professional advocating for you and your claim with the insurance company that direct sellers won’t provide.

Ask our clients…

Our Agency thrives, in part, because of our extremely high retention and referral rates. Our customers appreciate what we do for them and they tell their friends. We believe you will notice a difference from other agencies every time you call our office. We are eager to serve you and to do whatever it takes to earn your trust and business.

Products…

Serving all your insurance needs:

Personal Lines- Auto Insurance, Homeowners, Personal Liability Umbrella, Life, Diability, Condo, Renters, Boats, Power Sports

Commercial Products- Businessowners, Professional Liability, Commercial Auto, Workers Compensation

Product Support…

Did you know we have four websites providing consumer insight and expertise into Personal Lines and Commercial insurance?

JohnsonandRohan.com– Our flagship site, packed with information on homes, autos, life and umbrella coverage plus access to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, on-line bill pay and more.

MassAutoQuote.com– A great reference site with real time access to the Registry and real time insurance quotes.

HomeownerQuote.com– A user friendly site set up to provide tips on saving money on Homeowner policies, easy explanations of Homeowner policy coverages and easy to use quote requests.

MassQuotes.com– A comprehensice Personal Insurance site with insurance advice, insights and tips abd easy quote requests.

Freeze Out

On extremely cold days, take the following precautions to help prevent freezing pipes and resulting water damage:

– Maintain higher than normal temperatures (65 degrees +).

– Turn on your faucets and let the water trickle constantly.

– Open cabinet doors under the sinks. This will allow the heat to warm the pipes.

– Insulate pipes. Insulation goes a long way toward preventing freeze ups.

– Your exterior faucets used for your garden hoses should be shut off from inside your basement and left open (even if you have freeze-proof sill cocks).

Winter Driving Tips

Driving during winter here in Massachusetts can be one of the most difficult and hazardous situations for both new and experienced drivers.

Johnson & Rohan Insurance offers some winter driving tips:

Reduce your speed according to road conditions. Drive cautiously and accelerate gently.
Never lock your brakes on icy roads. You will lose steering control. If you do skid, try to remember to turn into the direction of the skid.
Increase the space between your vehicle and others. You need more distance to stop safely on slippery surfaces.
Make sure your windshield washer has sufficient fluid and that your wipers and defroster are in good condition.
Before driving, completely remove ice and snow from your vehicle. Clear all windows, wipers, headlights, and brake lights.
Keep your fuel tank at least half full to prevent the fuel line from freezing.
Keep a sleeping bad or blanket, flashlight, water, high calorie food that will not spoil, and a shovel in your trunk for emergencies.
Best tip of all: Don’t Drive!

From all of us at Johnson & Rohan Insurance: Stay Safe Massachusetts!

Winter Storm Watch

As Monday’s storm descends on Massachusetts, rest assured you can report a claim 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Some of our popular, after-hours claim numbers:

Travelers: 1-800-252-4633

Safety Insurance: 1-800-951-2100

Vermont Mutual: 1-800-435-0397

Progressive Insurance: 1-800-274

MPIUA: 1-800-392-6108

CBS Boston reports the following Winter Storm Watch:

10 a.m. to 4 p.m:

The “peak” of the storm. When the majority of the snow accumulation occurs. Steady and at times heavy snow falls in all of eastern Massachusetts. Again, heaviest snow and strongest winds in southeastern Massachusetts. Blizzard conditions in that region.

After 4 p.m:

Snow continues across the area but lighter in intensity. Snowfall accumulation slows considerably and winds begin to turn more northerly and with a bit less ferocity. While the snow will continue for most of the night, it will get lighter and spottier after midnight, with just a few flurries left Tuesday morning.

SNOW AMOUNTS:

9-to-12 inches:

The highest snow totals will be in southeast Massachusetts including Plymouth and Bristol counties as well as the Cape and Islands. There will likely be some ocean-enhanced snowbands in this area, these highly localized bands of snow could cause a few towns in southeast Mass. to go over the foot mark.

6-to-9 inches:

Norfolk County, Suffolk County (Boston) and all areas inside Route 128, including the North Shore and Cape Ann.

3-to-6 inches:

Most of the 495 belt north of the Mass Pike, and points west to Worcester County and southern New Hampshire.

1-to-3 inches:

Areas north and west of Worcester County.

WINDS:

A major factor with this storm will be the powerful northeast wind gusts. Once again the worst hit area will be Plymouth County, Cape Cod and the Islands where gusts will range from 45-to-65 mph Monday.

Farther north along the Coast from Boston to the North Shore, gusts will range from 30-to-45 mph.

Across the interior, winds will be gusty but not nearly as powerful, gusts 20-to-40 mph at times.

Given the already stressed trees due to our last heavy and wet snow on Friday, numerous power outages are again likely with this event.

COASTAL FLOODING:

The area of concern once again – the Plymouth County coastline, Cape Cod and Nantucket. We expect minor to moderate coastal flooding here between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

WHAT’S NEXT?

First the snow. While the majority of the snow will fall on Monday, some snow will likely be in the air Tuesday and Wednesday as well. Then comes the cold, the most brutal air since last winter will drop out of Canada later this week. Next weekend looks absolutely frigid. High temperatures in many areas could be stuck in the single digits by day, dropping below zero at night.

Advanced Driver Training Discounts

Johnson & Rohan recommends In Control – Crash Prevention Training.

As a parent, one of our biggest worries is when our teen driver gets their license.

In Control – Crash Prevention Training is a program that puts drivers in controlled, high risk driving situations, designed to significantly reduce the risks associated with being a new driver.

In Control offers a half-day hands-on course developed by professionally trained race car drivers who also train police, firefighters, and emergency response drivers.

Drivers learn: how to control skids, how to effectively use ABS brakes, dangers of tailgating, problems with backing up, how to manage emergency lane changes, and the effects of speed on driving control.

In Control offers a 10% discount to Johnson & Rohan clients. The present cost of the program is $299 per student with additional family members costing $200.

In addition, Safety Insurance offers this program to our clients for $75.

They are also provide a 5% discount on auto insurance for drivers that have completed this course.

We are very excited about this program and the skills that it teaches. Reviews of this program have been excellent.

Please call or click us to learn more.

Inspection Sticker Blues

Perhaps the cruelest of all surcharge points on the personal MA Auto Insurance Policy is the one for an ”expired inspection sticker” citation.

In Massachusetts, a ticket for an expired vehicle inspection sticker is the equivalent, in auto insurance citation points, of a moving violation.

According to the MA Department of Insurance:

Surcharge points are incurred if you:

cause an at-fault accident
are convicted of or pay a fine for a traffic law violation
are assigned to an alcohol education program

An expired inspection sticker is considered “pay(ing) a fine for a traffic law violation.”

A $40 ticket results increased insurance costs for 6 years! About 20% increase the first three years, diminshing the following three .

Check your MA Inspection Sticker: Don’t let it lapse!

Following please find a helpful, Mass Inspection Station locator link:

http://massvehiclecheck.state.ma.us/find_emissions_repair.php

Auto Insurance Flashback

We published the following article on April 21, 2008 and find it worth a re-print.

Geico entered the Massachusetts auto insurance market in May of 2009. They spent over a billion dollars on advertising in 2015 and they are a marketing force.

However, almost seven years after their Massachusetts auto insurance market launch, this independent insurance agent’s fear of the little green lizard is gone.

We compete against them and we’ve taken business from them.

Six year after the article, our belief still rings true:

“For now, it is up to the Independent Insurance Agent, to get the best rates for our clients, to package policies and to round accounts. It is time to save our clients money. It is time to advise and to advocate. It is time to demonstrate our value.”

Ma Auto Insurance & the little, green lizard

Boston, MA – 4/21/2008

Never in the history of the Massachusetts Professional, Independent Insurance Agent community, have five letters been so feared.

Not, “t-h-e-f-t.”

Not, “f-r-a-u-d.”

And no, not, “c-l-a-i-m.”

I am talking about “G-E-I-C-O.”

Not since my childhood Godzilla days, have I been so scared of a lizard.

For years they have advertised in our proud, Commonwealth and for years I have smugly told customers, “GEICO? They don’t even write insurance in Massachusetts!”

Nationally they don’t use Independent Agents, either.

They use call centers and service centers and they don’t write home insurance.

When you work with an Independent, Professional Insurance Agent you are working with someone who who has your best interest in mind. You are working with someone who will shop your insurance with many different companies to get you the best rate. You are working with someone who is your advocate at claim time. Who, at GEICO, works as your advocate? Who, at GEICO, sells multi-lines of insurance and shops your insurances with many different companies?

Like the chilly winds of our Massachusetts’ autums, it seems inevitable that GEICO is coming. When? I don’t know. 2009? 2010 at the latest, is my guess.

For now, it is up to the Independent Insurance Agent, to get the best rates for our clients, to package policies and to round accounts. It is time to save our clients money. It is time to advise and to advocate. It is time to demonstrate our value.

Registry Extends Renewal Date

If you have not received your December personal or commercial automobile registrations from the Registry of Motor Vehicles: fear not.

Due to a “mailing issue,” the RMV has announced they are still renewing registrations that expire in December.

The RMV has advised that although the majority of registration renewal applications for November and December registrations have been processed, customers should expect to receive their registration and decal by January 15, 2016.

The RMV has asked law enforcement to recognize a grace period (through January 15, 2016).

If you’re waiting past this date, give us a call to check on the status of your registration!