As Gourd As It Gets

The variety of activities offered at area pumpkin patches is quite amazing, but one thing that almost all of these places offer is a hayride. Please see the individual pumpkin patch websites linked for a full listing of activities, as well as hours of operation and cost information.

Not Too Far From Home. For people who get uneasy traveling too far outside the Beltway, a number of relatively close-in options exist. Burke Nursery and Garden Centre (pictured at left) in Burke, Va., has all the hayrides, kids activities, and farm animals of the countryside, just a scant 18 miles from D.C. Burke Nursery is also sponsoring a pumpkin patch at Fairfax Corner, with a portion of all proceeds being donated to the Capital Area Food Bank. Centreville, Va.'s Cox Farms is popular, with good reason -- slides, tunnels, mazes, live entertainment, rope swings, and hayrides attract families from all over the Washington region. Butler's Orchard in Germantown, Md., not only features a pick-your-own-pumpkin patch, but it also has hand-dipped caramel apples and a plethora of kids activities. But this year the place to visit is Cherry Hill Farm and Orchard in Clinton, Md. Cherry Hill has been an institution, with more than 500 scarecrows, huge slides, homemade ice cream and a nature trail. Visit while you can; the Washington Post reports that the farm will be closing after this season, as most of the land was sold for development.

A-Maize-ing Mazes. It's time to stop pretending and give way to your inner geek. You know that cornfield mazes are very cool. And they're even cooler at night, by flashlight (check individual websites for time and cost information). The big kahuna among corn mazes is at Winterbrook Farms in Thurmont, Md. -- it features four NASCAR-themed mazes covering 35 acres with eight miles of trails and 24 checkpoints. Winterbrook also features a pumpkin cannon, which visitors can aim at a boat or an old school bus (3 shots for $5), but does not actually sell the gourds. Bowles Farms in Clements, Md., features a 15-acre corn maze with more than three miles of trails in two sections. Plus, this Saturday Bowles Farms will also present lawnmower racing. Over in Virginia, Temple Hall Farm Regional Park in Leesburg hosts a nine-acre baseball-themed maze (pictured at right) and also features a corn cannon and water balloon wars. Other a-maze-ing options include the eight-acre cow-themed maze at Crumland Farms in Frederick, Md.; an eight-acre dinosaur-themed corn maze, along with a ribbon maze, a chicken-wire maze, a soybean maze and a straw bale maze, at Bridgemont Farm in Mount Jackson, Va.; and five-acre mazes at Summers Farm in Frederick, Md., Mayne's Tree Farm and Pumpkin Patch in Buckeystown, Md., North Run Farm in Stevenson, Md., and Circle of Seeds in The Plains, Va.

Hauntings and Horrors. For people looking for a spooky time, several farms are offering haunted houses and hayrides. Undoubtedly the most popular, and most frightening, offering is at Hill High Farms (pictured at left) in Winchester, Va. According to the Washington Post, people waited in line for up to three hours in the rain last October for admission. The Frederick Jaycees are offering haunted hayrides at Crumland Farms, while the Warrenton-Fauquier Jaycees are hosting haunted hayrides at Cows-n-Corn in Midland, Va. The working dairy farm also features a corn maze, "cow croquet," and a number of activities for the little ones. Speaking of little ones, some farms are keeping their horrors light, with spooky activities for kids--Double "B" Farms in Rhoadsville, Va., has a haunted school bus and Larriland Farm in Woodbine, Md., and Weber's Cider Mill Farm both have a "boo barn" for younger kids.

Lots of Orange for Just a Little Green. Planning a lot of baking? Want to decorate for Halloween a la Martha Stewart? At least two pumpkin patches are offering all-you-can-carry specials. Belvedere Plantation in Fredericksburg, Va., is offering all-you-can-carry pumpkins for $26.99 (in addition to scarecrow making, a corn maize, ziplines, and old-fashioned Friday night hoedowns). Stribling Orchard in Markham, Va., doesn't have all of Belvedere's activities, but they are featuring all-you-can-carry pumpkins for $15.

Did We Mention Animals? Pig race, anyone? Then head out to Great Country Farms in Bluemont, Va. Leesburg Animal Park not only has a pumpkin patch, a three-acre farm play area and all-you-can drink cider, but also a full set of animals for viewing, including monkeys (pictured at right), lemurs, giant tortoises, llamas, zebra and parrots.

For the Organic-Minded. Hedgebrook Farm Market in Winchester, Va., is a pesticide-free working dairy farm that offers pick-your-own pumpkins and kids activities, while at Crooked Run Orchard in Purcellville, Va., visitors can pick their own pumpkins, vegetables and fruits that are grown with a minimal amount of chemicals.

Gourd, With a View. Perhaps the best way to take advantage of the coming change in weather is to combine a trip to a pumpkin patch with a drive in the country to take in the fall foliage. Hartland Orchard provides a pumpkin patch and hayrides in a scenic area near Skyline Drive. Also near Skyline Drive is Stribling Orchard, which has pumpkins, pick-your-own apples, fresh bread and baked goods, handmade crafts, and jellies and jam. A bit further afield, in West Virginia, pumpkins can also be found at Okes Family Farm in Cool Ridge, Ridgefield Farm & Orchard in Harpers Ferry, and York Hill Orchard & Farm in Shenandoah Junction.

As extensive as this list is, there are still many more options out there. For a full listing of area farms and orchards, check out the washingtonpost.com's Entertainment Guide.