Russell Orchards

Open: Year Round

History:

The Russell Orchards property has a long history as a working farm. The first trees were planted in 1920 by Dr. Joseph Goodale as a pastime for his son. The orchard continued to thrive and was farmed successfully, with the fruit sold primarily at market in Boston. By the 1950's the farm was sold to the the Goodale family's farm manager Kenneth Macleod. Mr. Macleod operated a popular cider mill on the southern corner of the property, and the building can still be seen today from the road. When it came time for Macleod to retire, he felt the pressure to sell to developers. A group of neighbors joined forces to purchase the land and make sure that the next owner would keep it as a working farm. They asked the Essex County Greenbelt Association to write an agricultural preservation restriction (APR) that would legally prevent the land from being turned into a development. It was with this APR in place and the blessing of the neighbors that the Russell Family purchased the farm and began the new era for the orchard. In the year 2000, the name was changed from Goodale Orchards to reflect the more than twenty years of Russell ownership and all the improvements and changes made over that time. As the third family that has owned the farm since its creation in 1920, we are honored to continue its long tradition.