Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1182004
88 items even in the grocery store, she adds. Essex County is home to many farms that feature, not just delicious crops, but also beautiful scenery and long histories. Take North Andover's Smolak Farms, where parts of the historic homestead are 300 years old. "I don't consider myself an owner. I'm a steward of a property that was here millennia before me," says Michael Smolak. Many locals have stories of visiting the preserved 107 acres as a kid, and sampling their cider donuts. The farm sold about 400,000 donuts last year as people formed lines. "When they're warm, they draw attention," says Smolak. Every year, about 13,000 children tour the farm as part of a special education program. During their visit, the kids learn about animals, gardening techniques, and the habitat and function of local bees. "The more you bring kids and teach them early, the better it is for them," says Smolak. "Maybe we'll get some farmers out of it. At least, I'm hoping." Using local ingredients goes beyond just vegetables. The North Shore is also a resource for handmade Italian cheeses thanks to places like Wolf Meadow Farm, owned by Luca and Christina Mignogna. Luca, an Italian-born cheesemaker and chef who has worked in some of the world's finest restaurants, supervises the farm's small-batch production of burrata, mozzarella, caciotta, ricotta, and more. Having teamed up with Appleton Farms, Wolf Meadow now makes its cheese with milk from Appleton's grass-fed cows. It's a match made in heaven. "You have the pleasure of getting something you'd have in Italy right here. We Seasonal cocktails are perfect to pair with apple pie from Russell Orchards. – Miranda Russell, Russell Orchards, Ipswich