There are hundreds of places to get a cider doughnut in New England. They’re all awesome.
But for me, the operation and atmosphere at Douglas Orchard & Farm make it an ideal destination for those looking for a small, family-run spot that’s tucked away in a quieter corner of Massachusetts.
I’ve eaten plenty of cider doughnuts in my day. My doctor might even say too many. But in this instance, I’m using my caloric resumé to argue that Douglas Orchard & Farm makes some of the best cider doughnuts you’ll find anywhere.
They’re delightfully spongy and slightly craggly on the outside. They’re full of flavor and coated with just the right amount of cinnamon-sugar. They’re cooked brilliantly and come to you fresh from the fryer, still warm and moist without being overly oily.
Why do they come out so well? It’s because of farmer Nick Socrat. He’s the guy who builds your cider doughnut from — literally — the ground up.
Socrat is responsible for growing the apples, pressing them into cider, prepping the doughnuts and frying up the final product in a trailer on the farm.
Socrat is obsessed with making the best doughnut possible. It shows.
“A good apple cider doughnut absolutely starts with the cider. It starts with the trees, starts with the soil,” he says.
Mass. Hidden Gems: Douglas Orchard & Farm
Right now, as I write this sentence, Douglas Orchard & Farm is my favorite place to get a cider doughnut.
Is it the best? That’s up for debate. (It also requires further research. Stay tuned for that.) But in terms of awesome farms to visit and little operations you can fall in love with, it’s truly a hidden gem.
It all starts with the orchard filled with 50-year-old apple trees, which are a little bit unusual.
No one knows exactly which type of apple grows on which tree.
The former owner of old Douglas Orchard made a curious choice to plant the trees so that every tree was a different variety, creating a fruity maze for folks who go out to pick their own apples.
“When I send people out there, they’re like, ‘Oh, do you have this specific variety?’ I’m like, we’ve got 18 different varieties in this apple orchard. But you have to go find them,” Socrat says.
Socrat has thought about mapping and labeling everything in the orchard, but doesn’t have the resources right now for that sort of project.
Plus, he views that hodgepodge nature of the orchard as a benefit, not a problem. Every haul of apples he brings back and presses into cider is a different combination of varieties, resulting in vibrant blends that are constantly evolving.
“I think it’s amazing. Our cider tastes different every week, and I think that’s really special,” Socrat says.
What’s good to get?
Obviously, the No. 1 answer is the cider doughnuts. To get them, there are two steps.
First, you pay for your doughnuts in the farm store and leave your name.
Second, you walk over to the red doughnut trailer (pictured above) and pick up your order, fresh out of the fryer.
In addition to cider doughnuts, Douglas Orchard & Farm also does seasonal blueberry doughnuts and gingerbread doughnuts.
In the farm store, there are a variety of products that come from the farm, including raw honey, chicken eggs, duck eggs and farm-raised meats.
You can also grab flavor-packed unpasteurized apple cider, which farms can only sell on-site and can’t sell through other vendors.
‘It’s better to enjoy nature than chemicals.’
Socrat runs Douglas Orchard & Farm along with his parents, Patty and Aaron. Nick does all the farming and cider doughnut magic. Patty runs the farm store and social media presence. Aaron is the property manager and runs the business end of things.
It’s a small, family-run operation that’s worked to revive what was once neglected farmland that was being looked at for housing.
After the owner of the original Douglas Orchard passed away, the farmland sat unattended for years. At one point, the land was being looked at for property development. That was until 2016, when the Socrat family stepped in, buying the farm and renaming it Douglas Orchard & Farm.
Socrat, a graduate of UMass Amherst’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture, now works to bring the land to its full potential through sustainable farming methods. Part of that comes through promoting biodiversity in both crops and livestock. It also means using as few pesticides and fungicides as possible.
That approach has turned into a motto of sorts for the farm: “It’s better to enjoy nature than chemicals.”
Socrat’s approach focuses on using natural fertilizers and, for the most part, letting nature be nature. Sometimes, that means the apples don’t look perfect. But taste-wise, they’re delicious.
As Socrat notes, some orchards spray their crops up to 30 times per year to keep their apples pristine — and can do so up to a week before harvesting them.
However, Socrat is focused on keeping those products out of the cider he makes. He notes that he hasn’t applied anything to this year’s apple crop since early July.
What to know about Douglas Orchard & Farm
The main attractions at Douglas Orchard & Farm are the cider doughnuts as well as the pick-your-own apples and blueberries. The farm store also has an awesome collection of local products, many of which come from the farm.
Douglas Orchard & Farm also does farm tours, events, weddings and concerts. The summer concert series has been a big hit this year.
Socrat stresses that he wants visitors who come to the farm to look around, ask questions and learn about where their food comes from. That means checking out the orchard, seeing all the animals (including the pigs in the back) and even feeding some goats.
The one thing it doesn’t include is going into the blue house near the road. That’s the house where Socrat and his wife live. The farm store is the red building on the other side.
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Check them out — Website | Facebook | Instagram
What’s the address? — 36 Locust St., Douglas
What’s the parking situation? — There is parking at the farm. You may need to park further down the orchards. Just follow the signs and you’ll be good to go.
When are they open? — Here are the listed business hours at the time of writing.
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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Mass. Hidden Gems is a series highlighting restaurants and other businesses across the Bay State that we think deserve more attention. You can check out the rest of the series here.
Have a hidden gem that you think we should check out? Email nomalley@masslive.com your favorites.