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Apples and Pumpkin Picking—Oh My!
By
Sonia Harmon
Published Thursday, October 02, 2008
Autumn means apples ripe for picking. These six orchards not only have pick-your-own apples and other farm fare such as pumpkins and home-baked pies but offer fun activities. Most pick-your-own apples cost about $1.40 a pound. You might also be interested in . . . Oktoberfest in DC | Best Activities for October | Happy Hour Finder | Events Calendar
Maryland
At Baugher’s Orchard & Farm, tractors take you to the field to pick apples. On October weekends, there’s face painting, scarecrow making, a pumpkin moon bounce ($1), and pony rides ($5) for kids. There’s also a free petting zoo, a playground, and picnic tables. Pick-your-own hours: Saturday and Sunday 10 to 5. 1236 Baugher Rd., Westminster; 410-857-0111; baughers.com.
The Pumpkin Festival, the biggest fall event at Butler’s Orchard, runs Saturdays and Sundays (plus Columbus Day) through October and features music, country food, and children’s activities. But Butler’s hasn’t forgotten its apples, the most popular of which is the Honeycrisp. Admission to the festival is $10 for ages two and up; hours are 10 to 5. Pick-your-own hours: Tuesday through Sunday (plus Columbus Day, October 13) 9:30 to 5:30. 22200 Davis Mill Rd., Germantown; 301-972-3299; butlersorchard.com.
After apple picking at Homestead Farm, try the caramel-dipped apples or homemade caramel-apple pie. Kids can feed goats, jump into hay, or feed the ducks in the pond. Visit Homestead’s Web site for a list of the farm’s 15 apple varieties, each with tentative picking dates. Pick-your-own hours: daily 9 to 5:30. 15600 Sugarland Rd., Poolesville; 301-977-3761; homestead-farm.net.
At Weber’s Cider Mill Farm, in addition to apple picking, each weekend through October 26 there are barnyard activities including a hay maze and a hill slide. Tickets to play the games cost $7 for ages 1 through 17 and $5 for 18 and up. Pick-your-own hours: Saturday and Sunday (plus Columbus Day) 10 to 5. 2526 Proctor La., Baltimore; 410-668-4488; webersfarm.com.
Virginia
Marker-Miller Orchards offers pick-your-own apples every day. The Apple Harvest Festival October 11 (9 to 5) and October 12 (10 to 5) offers wagon rides for $2, music, apple-caramel sundaes, and, by October, 20 apple varieties. On weekends, kids can go to the playground or play on a rock-climbing wall. During the festival, food includes hot dogs, country-ham sandwiches, and barbecue ribs along with apple turnovers, cider doughnuts, and caramel-apple/walnut pie. Pick-your-own hours: Monday through Friday 9 to 6 (Columbus Day 9 to 4), Saturday 9 to 4, Sunday noon to 4. 3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester; 540-662-1980; markermillerorchards.com.
At Stribling Orchard—with nearly 30 acres of different varieties—visitors come to pick apples, picnic, and see the donkeys, horse, pony, pig, goats, and sheep. Pick-your-own hours: Tuesday through Sunday (plus Columbus Day) 9 to 5. 11587 Poverty Hollow La., Markham; 540-364-3040; striblingorchard.com. Did we miss one of your favorite orchards? Let us know in the comments below! Related:
What’s on Tap For Film in October
October’s Theater Offerings
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Comments
John - why don’t you check the website of each orchard? They should have a list of what is available and when so you can make your decisions about where and when to go. I think this was a great little snapshot. Orchards like Stribling’s have over 30 varieties of applies. It’s not up to the Washingtonian to list them all for you.
Posted by: Apple Lover, Oct 03, 2008 07:57:24 AM
Yay for apples and pumpkins! I love autumn and this will help me pick the best place to get into the fall spirit.
Posted by: Nicole, Oct 03, 2008 06:41:45 AM
We need more information for this to be useful for us.
In particular: For each location, what types of apples are available and on approximately what dates will each type be ripe for picking.
Why is this important? People have differing preferences in types of apples. Also, different types are appropriate for differing uses. Some keep better than others. etc. etc.
Posted by: John in Virginia, Oct 02, 2008 08:52:46 AM
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