2026 Fruit Share

Newton Community Farm is pleased to offer a weekly fruit share in conjunction with Autumn Hills Orchard in Groton, MA. Each weekly share consists of a 4–5 pound bag of fruit. Shares mainly consist of apples throughout the fall, but will also include fruit such as peaches, plums, or nectarines as available. As with all things agricultural, what is available is highly dependent on the particular growing conditions.

This year, Farmer Ed at Autumn Hills hopes to start the fruit shares a week earlier (August 19th) to share more peaches and stone fruit with sharers. If he doesn’t get a good fruit set, the fruit share will start as usual a week later on August 26th. The share will last for 8 weeks with either start date. We should know by late July and will keep sharers posted on any updates.

Program Details

• Dates: The 2026 Fruit Share runs for 8 weeks from either August 19th or 26th to October 7th or 14th. We will update sharers once we hear from the orchard how their stone fruit crop is doing this year!

• Cost: $125

• Pick Up:

  • Wednesdays & Thursdays from 2–7 pm at the farm.

  • Can’t make it? No problem – ask a friend or neighbor to pick up your share!

• Donations: Any unclaimed shares will be donated to a local food pantry.

• Deadline: Sign up by August 5th. Shares often sell out before this deadline.

About Autumn Hills Orchard

Autumn Hills Orchard is a working farm in historic Groton, Massachusetts about 45 miles northwest of Newton. The farm produces more than 25 varieties of apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, and raspberries. For more than ten years, Autumn Hills has partnered with local CSA programs to provide weekly shares in the late summer through the fall. Share contents vary by week over the season but are primarily apples with other fruit varieties based on availability. The fruit varieties may include Concord grapes, peaches, nectarines, Italian plums, Bartlett pears, and Bosc pears. Apple varieties may include: Ginger Gold, Paula Red, Gala, Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, Macintosh, Cortland, Empire, Cox Orange Pippin, Spencer, Mutsu, Golden Delicious, Macoun, Newtown Pippin, Rhode Island Greening, Golden Russet, SpiGold, Suncrisp, Pink Lady, Ida Red, and Northern Spy.

Growing Practices

Autumn Hills Orchard uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control insects and diseases. It is not organic. IPM seeks to reduce the frequency and amount of spraying by vigilant scouting so that pests can be sprayed at the moment in their life cycle when they are most vulnerable. IPM also seeks to control damage rather than eradicate pests, allowing growers to spray less. IPM can dramatically reduce the amount of spraying required to grow high quality fruit in a climate like New England. This method reduces the harm caused by many sprays to the environment, orchard workers, beneficial insects, and the end consumer. It should not, however, be confused with organic.