Fall on the Farm

By Mary Jane Solomon
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, October 6, 2006

This fall's pumpkin crop may be sparse, but the activities at area pumpkin patches are downright bountiful. Even if you manage to visit two locations every remaining day this month, you'll never get to all the places offering attractions along with the fruits and vegetables of the season.

In October, savvy farmers and nursery purveyors tap into the public's autumn wanderlust by going hog wild with "agri-tainment," the likes of giant corn mazes, scenic hayrides and petting zoos filled with adorable barnyard critters. Farms are getting more innovative with their offerings, introducing irresistible new features, such as an in-ground "jumpin' pillow," kind of like an open-air moon bounce, or a "corn cannon" that launches cobs toward targets in a field.

This season, some farms had to get creative to overcome hardships imposed by Mother Nature. The weird weather -- torrential rain followed by bone-dry days followed by still more torrential rain -- caused many pumpkins to turn out not too big and not too pretty. You'll still find pumpkins at area farm markets, but chances are the plumpest and most colorful ones may be ringers from New York or Pennsylvania. Tropical Storm Ernesto's winds and rains also threatened area corn mazes, but farmers managed to repair damage or find replacement activities such as an obstacle course and, in one case, a maze designed with a "storm's turmoil" theme as a tribute to the destructive tempest.

The following locations, all within a couple of hours of Washington, offer a wide array of settings and choices. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a camera and call ahead to check weather conditions and confirm scheduled events or the availability of attractions. Most sites listed here sell locally grown seasonal produce -- including pumpkins, unless otherwise noted -- along with specialty foods and fall decorations. Leave pets at home, and supervise children carefully, especially at large farms with spread-out play areas. If you're visiting a maze, arrive at least an hour before closing, and adhere to fire marshals' rules against smoking near dried materials.

Maryland
Anne Arundel County

DOEPKENS FARM 2657 Davidsonville Rd. (Routes 424 and 50), Davidsonville. 410-721-2739. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10 to 6 in October; other hours vary seasonally. Closes Dec. 24 and reopens July 10. This three-generation farm, dating to 1906, specializes in cut flowers, including 85 varieties of mums. The farm's 11th annual mum mural, covering about three-tenths of an acre, blooms in about a week and features a surprise design planted by owner William J. Doepkens. (Last year's multihued peacock tail contained 2,500 plants.)

GREENSTREET GARDENS 391 W. Bay Front Rd., Lothian. 410-867-9500. http://www.greenstreetgardens.com/ . Fall Garden and Gift Shop hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 to 6:30, Saturdays 8:30 to 5 and Sundays 9 to 4. Maze hours are Fridays 2:30 to 5:30, Saturdays 10 to 4 and Sundays 10 to 3, other hours by appointment, through October. A five-acre corn maze cut to resemble a giant crab includes two miles of trails and has an authentic tepee in the center. Other Fall Festival Weekend highlights include hayrides, a pumpkin patch, face and hair painting, farm demonstrations, children's crafts and live music. Visit the Web site for details about each weekend's programs, entertainment and food.

HOMESTEAD GARDENS 743 W. Central Ave. (Routes 424 and 214), Davidsonville. 301-261-4550 or 410-798-5000. http://www.homesteadgardens.com/ (includes directions). Open year-round. October hours are Monday-Friday 9 to 8, Saturdays 8 to 8 and Sundays 9 to 6. The 23rd annual Fall Festival, Saturdays and Sundays 11 to 4 through Oct. 29, has free admission and parking. Purchase tickets, $1 each or $20 for 25, for activities such as hayrides, pony rides, pumpkin painting, a barrel train ride and games for kids. Free straw maze daily from 9 to 7 and a llama barn daily from 10 to 3.

KNIGHTONGALE FARM 3924 Solomons Island Rd. (Routes 2 and 424), Harwood/Davidsonville. 443-871-1073. Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5 through Oct. 29. Free highlights at this 90-acre farm -- known as "Home of the Spiders" for its hay-bale arachnids -- include farm animals, pedal tractors and a sandbox filled with kernel corn. A seven-acre patch holds pumpkins on the vine. Other activities, each requiring a $3 fee, include a three-acre corn maze, hayrides and pony rides.

PAPA JOHN'S FARM 8065 New Cut Rd., Severn. Take Route 301 north to Interstate 97 north to Exit 12. At the light at the end of the exit ramp, turn left and look for the big red barn on the left. 410-969-8810. Open Monday-Saturday 9 to 7, Sundays 9 to 6 through Oct. 31; reopens in April. This fourth-generation family vegetable farm with a produce stand offers hayrides to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch Saturdays and Sundays 11 to 4 during October. $6.50 includes a pumpkin. The farm also has animals to view.

PUMPHREY'S FARM 8220 Veterans Hwy., Millersville. Take Route 50 east to Interstate 97 north to Exit 10, Veterans Highway. Go north for about 2 1/2 miles; farm is on the left. 410-987-4290. Open daily 9 to 7 in October; other hours vary seasonally. The farm closes from Thanksgiving until June. Pick pumpkins, all you can carry for $15.

Baltimore County

HUBER'S FAMILY PRODUCE FARM 11898 Philadelphia Rd. (Route 7 and Raphael Road), Bradshaw. 410-679-1948 or 410-679-1941. http://www.hubersfarm.com/ . Produce stand hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 to 6:30, Saturdays and Sundays 8:30 to 5. Hours for the farm's mazes and pumpkin patch are daily 10 to 5 through Oct. 29, with the last tickets for the large maze sold at 3:30. Admission to both mazes is $6 for adults, $3 for children younger than 13. The pick-your-own pumpkin farm's third annual five-acre corn maze, designed for ages 10 and older, features a haunted house design. A mini maze featuring nursery rhymes and characters caters to young children. An activity area, $5, offers an inflatable haunted house, a bounce house and mini straw maze. Haunted Hayrides are Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 13-28 7:30 to 10:30 and Oct. 29 7 to 9. $10 ages 13 and older, $5 children; parking is $2.

NORTH RUN FARM 1703 Greenspring Valley Rd., Stevenson. 410-241-3392. http://www.northrunfarm.com/ . Open Fridays 2 to 10, Saturdays and Sundays 10 to dark through Nov. 5; open Columbus Day 10 to 6. Admission, including a hayride, is $7 ages 13 and older, $5 ages 4 to 12 and free for children younger than 4. This farm's fifth annual maze features an eight-acre scarecrow design with more than two miles of trails. New highlights include a giant corn tepee, children's play areas and an expanded farm animal zoo. Kids also can navigate a mini maze of straw bales. Pick your own pumpkins.

ROHA FARMS 6009 Church Lane, Hydes. 410-592-8040. http://www.rohafarms.com/ . Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5 through Oct. 29, weekdays by appointment year-round. Free farm admission and parking. Fall highlights at this 60-acre farm include a five-plus-acre corn maze, $5, and free, wheelchair-accessible hayrides to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Other highlights, most of which cost $2 each or three for $5, include pony rides, pumpkin and face painting, a straw climb, a bean-bag toss and sawhorse "calf" roping. Farm animals include a new miniature donkey.

SPRING MEADOW FARMS 15513 Hanover Pike (Route 30), Upperco. 410-239-8505. http://www.springmeadowfarms.com/ . Produce market and garden center open Monday-Thursday 9 to 7, Friday-Sunday 9 to 8. Closes Oct. 31; reopens mid-March. The Fall Harvest Festival runs weekends 10 to 5 through Oct. 29. A new "Agricational" hayride, $1, includes stops with information about farming. Other highlights, geared toward ages 2 to 12, include a large inflatable haunted house, $2; pony rides, $3; pedal tractors, $2 for five minutes; an inflatable farm train maze, $1; and a straw maze, $1. A wristband for unlimited play costs $15. Scarecrow making, all materials provided, is $15. Admission is free to the children's farm zoo and straw piles for jumping.

WEBER'S CIDER MILL FARM 2526 Proctor Lane, Baltimore. 410-668-4488. http://www.webersfarm.com/ . Market hours daily 9 to 8 through Oct. 30, 9 to 6 starting Oct. 31; other hours vary seasonally. Fall activities are daily 9:30 to 6:30 through Oct. 31. New highlights include a hillside slide and pedal tractors. Admission -- $7 ages 2-17 and $4 ages 18 and older on weekends, $5 and $3 on weekdays -- also includes such activities as a hayride, giant hay maze, Boo Barn filled with friendly characters, Pumpkinland, farm animals and mini hay maze and straw crawl. Daily scarecrow workshops cost $15 ($1 discount if you bring a shirt, $1.50 discount if you bring pants).

Calvert County

SPIDER HALL FARM 3915 Hallowing Point Rd., Prince Frederick. Take Route 4 to Prince Frederick. Turn right onto Route 231 and travel about 3.5 miles to the farm on the right. 410-535-5819. Opens Saturdays 10 to 6 or dark and Sundays 1 to 6 or dark through Nov. 12. This working corn and soybean farm, with a farmhouse dating to 1900, offers a hayride and an eight-acre corn maze cut in a design featuring spider webs; $5 for each activity or $8 for a combo. The farm has pick-your-own pumpkins.

Carroll County

BAUGHER'S FARM ORCHARD MARKET 1236 Baugher Rd., off Route 140 west, Westminster. 410-857-0111 (recording with directions) or 410-848-5541. http://www.baughers.com/ . The market is open daily 8 to 6, 8 to 5 when daylight saving time ends, through Dec. 24; it reopens in late spring. Pick-your-own hours are Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5 in October for pumpkins; call ahead to check on pick-your-own apple availability. A pumpkin-shaped moon bounce, $1, and free straw jump are geared toward young children. The 102-year-old family farm also offers other children's activities for nominal fees and hayrides to the pumpkin field, Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5, $1, free for ages 3 and younger.

MAIZEFEST AT RIVER VALLEY RANCH 4443 Grave Run Rd., Manchester. 443-712-1010 or 800-285-0122. http://www.rivervalleyranch.com/ . Open Saturday noon to 6 and Oct. 14, 21 and 28 from noon to 9. $8, $6 ages 3 to 11, free for ages 2 and younger. This western-themed, Christian camp facility boasts a six-acre cowboy-themed maze. Admission also includes hayrides and kids' attractions, such as a kernel corn playpen, a mini straw maze and straw crawl. Other activities, such as an 80-foot zip-line ride and moon bounce, require additional fees.

QUALITY EVERGREENS 2020 Garrett Rd., Manchester. 410-374-1499. Open Saturdays and Sundays and Columbus Day 10 to 5 through Oct. 29; reopens Nov. 24 through Dec. 22 for Christmas trees. The Christmas tree farm's third annual Cornfusion maze features an easily navigated three-acre "A Pirate's Life for Me" design cut in a pirate ship shape. $7 ages 12 and older, $4 ages 3 to 11; free for ages 2 and younger. Other activities include a pumpkin slingshot, hayride and barnyard zoo. Pick your own pumpkins from a one-acre patch.

Charles County

MIDDLETON'S CEDAR HILL FARM 13290 Cedar Hill Pl. (Route 5), four miles south of Waldorf. From Prince George's County, take Route 301 south toward Waldorf/La Plata. Turn left onto Route 5 south at Waldorf and go 3.19 miles. Turn left onto Leonardtown Road (Route 5) south and go 2.57 miles. Turn left and look for the large spider on the side of the road. 301-645-8464. Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5, Tuesday-Friday 10 to 5. During October, this working cattle, hay and pumpkin farm offers hayrides, $5, on weekends; also by appointment for groups on weekdays. Visitors also can look at farm animals and pick pumpkins.

SERENITY FARM INC. 6932 Serenity Farm Rd., Benedict. Take Route 5 south to Route 231 east. Turn left and go about six miles to the farm on the left. 301-399-0491 or 301-399-1634. http://www.serenityfarminc.com/ . Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5 in October for the 10th annual Kasper's Kastle, a walk-through barn featuring themed, child-friendly rooms and a visit from "Kasper" the ghost. $7, free for ages 1 and younger, including a hayride; farm tour with several costumed characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer; a Petting Pen; straw maze; pumpkin; and treat bag.

Frederick County

BROOKFIELD PUMPKINS 8302 Ramsburg Rd., Thurmont. 301-898-3527. http://www.brookfieldpumpkins.com/ . Open Monday-Thursday 3 to 6, Friday-Sunday 10 to 6 through Oct. 31. New this year, the dairy farm has a three-acre Corn Maze for the Cure. $5 for adults, $2.50 for children and free for cancer survivors. Fifty percent of the receipts will be donated to the Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund. The farm also offers free hayrides to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch Friday-Sunday.

CRUMLAND FARMS 7612 Willow Rd., Frederick. 301-845-8099. http://www.crumland.com/ . Open Saturdays and Sundays noon to dusk through Oct. 31; also open Columbus Day noon to 4. $9 for ages 5 and older, free for ages 4 and younger. The former dairy farm's sixth annual corn maze features an eight-acre design cut in the shape of Mazey the Cow, the farm's mascot, as "Cowbert Einstein" in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Theory of Relativity. A hayride to a six- to eight-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch is free with the purchase of a pumpkin. The farm also offers numerous children's activities. Visit http://www.frederickjaycees.com/HHR.htm for information about the Frederick Jaycees' Haunted Hayrides, held at the farm.

FAMILY FESTIVAL @ THE FARM Frederick County Office of Economic Development, 5340 Spectrum Dr., Suite A, Frederick. 301-694-1058 or 800-248-2296. http://www.discoverfrederickmd.com/funfarm . The Frederick County Office of Economic Development and the Agriculture Business Council Public Relations Committee sponsor this annual free, self-guided tour of 18 locations, including working farms, a vineyard, an orchard and a museum, Oct. 21 from 10 to 4 and Oct. 22 from noon to 4. Kid-pleasing highlights include petting zoos, hayrides, pony rides, horse shows, ice-cream making, storytelling, scarecrow making, guided nature hikes, face painting and more.

GLADE-LINK FARMS 12270 Woodsboro Pike (Route 194), New Midway. 301-898-7131 (recording with directions). Open daily 9 to 5 through early November. The farm has about three acres of pick-your-own pumpkins. During Family Festival @ the Farm, on Oct. 21 and 22, visitors can make scarecrows ($12 all materials provided, $7 if you bring your own clothes) and take free hayrides and pony rides.

JUMBO'S PUMPKIN PATCH AT HOMESTEAD FARMS 6521 Holter Rd., Middletown. 301-371-6874. http://www.jumbos.org/ . Open daily 10 to 6 through Oct. 31. A Crazy Corn Maze featuring intersecting circular designs costs $4 for ages 10 and older, $3 for ages 9 and younger; an online coupon offers two free kids' admissions with two paying adults. Take free hayrides to the 15-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch Friday-Sunday 10 to 5:45. A petting zoo also is free. A new General Store sells falls items and antiques. Additional activities includes pony rides, $2.50, $5 with a cowboy hat, and face painting, $1.

LAWYER'S WINTERBROOK FARM 13001 Creagerstown Rd. (Route 550 south), Thurmont. 301-748-7646 or 301-271-4826. http://www.mazeplay.com/showmaze.php?maze=50 . Open Fridays at dusk, last tickets sold at 10; Saturdays at noon, last tickets sold at 10; and Sundays at noon, last tickets sold at 5. $5 ages 6 and older, free for ages 5 and younger. The seventh annual Lawyer's Moonlight Maze features a 35-acre complex of four connected Civil War-themed corn mazes cut in the shapes of a shooting soldier, a soldier on horseback, a cannon and flags. The entire maze grouping contains eight miles of trails and 24 checkpoints. The farm does not sell pumpkins, but visitors can catapult provided pumpkins 2,000 feet using a giant pumpkin cannon, three shots for $7. A new corn cannon will debut in the next few weeks. The farm recommends boots; flashlights are mandatory.

MAYNE'S TREE FARM/PUMPKIN PATCH 3420 Buckeystown Pike (Route 85 south), Buckeystown. 301-662-4320. http://www.maynestreefarm.com/ (with directions). Open October weekdays 10 to 6, Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5; reopens in December for Christmas trees. New weekend activities include a moon bounce, $2, and a pedal tractor course, $1. A five-acre corn maze, designed and built by the Mayne family, includes five checkpoints featuring corn and pumpkin questions to answer to determine which way to turn. $5, $2 ages 4-12, free for ages 3 and younger. Other October highlights, Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5, include free hayrides to the 15-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch, geese, ducks and a straw jump geared toward children. Fling pumpkins with a giant slingshot, $1 for three tries.

SCENIC VIEW ORCHARDS 16239 Sabillasville Rd. (Route 550 north), Sabillasville. 301-271-2149. http://www.scenicvieworchards.com/ (includes directions). Open daily 10 to 6 through Nov. 1, daily 10 to 5 Nov. 2-22; reopens in May or June. Saturdays and Sundays noon to 5 through Oct. 29, weather permitting, visitors can take Belgian horse-drawn wagon rides to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch. $3 adults, $1 ages 12 and younger. Scenic View also offers free tractor-pulled wagon rides to the apple orchards for apple picking Oct. 22 during Family Festival @ the Farm.

SUMMERS FARM 5614 Butterfly Lane, near Interstate 70 west, Frederick. 301-620-9316. http://www.summersfarm.com/ (includes directions). The farm holds its 10th annual Fall-for-All Festival on Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 6 and weekdays 3 to 6 through October. $7 weekends, $5 weekdays, ages 2 and younger free. The eight-acre adjoining corn mazes depict a crab and the state of Maryland, and feature 2 1/2 miles of trails and a bridge. Admission fee includes a huge assortment of activities and attractions, such as the new Rubber Ducky and pig races and pedal cart derby, and old favorites, including a Kids Korral play area and slides. Additional weekend activities, requiring additional fees, include pony rides from noon to 4, a pumpkin train ride and a Super Farm Launcher. Bands perform from 1 to 3 on Oct. 14, 21 and 28. Check the Web site for information about special events and discounts.

THANKSGIVING FARMS 1619 Buckeystown Pike, Adamstown. 301-662-1291. Take Interstate 270 to Route 85 south (Buckeystown Pike) and go seven miles to the farm on the left. Open daily 9 to 5 through Dec. 24; reopens about March 1. Educational activities are weekends at this pick-your-own apple orchard, which also offers a small pick-your-own pumpkin patch. The produce market and garden center also has limited supplies of pick-your-own fall vegetables.

Howard County

CLARK'S ELIOAK FARM 10500 Clarksville Pike (Route 108), Ellicott City. 410-730-4049. http://www.clarklandfarm.com/ . Open daily 10 to 4 through Nov. 5; reopens April 1. Petting farm $4, free for ages younger than 1. The petting farm features a variety of animals, including an emu and baby goats. Other fall highlights include hayrides, $2, free for ages younger than 1; pumpkin patch visits, $2.50 per pumpkin; pony rides, $2; and a free mini farm play area, children's jump course and ride-on tractors. The farm houses many restored scenes from the now-closed 1950s Enchanted Forest amusement park. Check the Web site for details about special weekend events, including Teddy Bear Farm Visit days this weekend.

LARRILAND FARM 2415 Woodbine Rd. (Route 94), Woodbine, south of Lisbon. 301-854-6110 and 410-489-7034 for group hayrides. http://www.pickyourown.com/ . Open Saturdays and Sundays 9 to 5 and Monday-Friday 9 to 6 through October; also open Nov. 3-5 from 9 to 5. Reopens in late May. Hayrides travel through water and a field dotted with storybook characters and new decorations Saturdays and Sundays 9:30 to 4 through Nov. 5. Daily highlights include a straw maze and a Boo Barn. Each activity requires an admission fee. Call for availability of pick-your-own pumpkins, apples, broccoli, spinach and beets.

SHARP'S AT WATERFORD FARM 4003 Jennings Chapel Rd., Brookeville. 410-489-2572. http://www.sharpfarm.com/ . Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5 through Oct. 30. This 103-year-old farm and produce stand features a five-acre maze cut in the shape of a tractor and packed with facts and questions about the history of farm machinery. $7 ages 13 and older, $5 ages 5 to 12, free for ages 4 and younger with a paying adult. Other farm highlights include a 30-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch, free hayrides, animals, observation beehives, a small farm museum and face painting.

TRIADELPHIA LAKE VIEW FARM 15155 Triadelphia Mill Rd., Glenelg. From Olney, take Route 97 north 8.5 miles and turn right on Roxbury Road. At end of road, turn right on Triadelphia Mill Road; farm is two miles on the right. 410-489-4460. Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5 in October; reopens after Thanksgiving for Christmas-tree cutting. A new "corn pit," a large sandbox filled with corn kernels, highlights a variety of children's barnyard activities, $2 admission. Take a hayride, $1, to the six-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch at this Christmas tree and vegetable farm, in the Brown family since 1896. Bring your own old clothes for scarecrow making, $2 per scarecrow.

Montgomery County

BUTLER'S ORCHARD 22200 Davis Mill Rd., Germantown. 301-972-3299 (recording information) or 301-428-0444. http://www.butlersorchard.com/ . Farm market and pick-your-own hours are Tuesday-Sunday 10 to 5:30. The market closes Dec. 24 and reopens in May. The Pumpkin Festival is Saturdays, Sundays and Columbus Day 10 to 5 through Oct. 29. $9, free for children younger than 2. The popular pumpkin cannon returns Oct. 14, 15, 21 and 22. Other festival highlights include four slides, a straw maze, one-acre corn maze and Pumpkinland, featuring 20 to 30 characters. Ride ponies from 11 to 4 for a small fee. Other activities requiring additional fees include face painting and kids' crafts. Live bands perform from noon to 4. Pumpkin Harvest Days, $6.50 per person, are Tuesday-Friday 9:30 to 5 through Oct. 31 and include a hayride, small pumpkin, two apples and most play activities. Pick your own pumpkins from about 25 acres.

HOMESTEAD FARM 15600 Sugarland Rd., Poolesville. 301-977-3761. http://www.homestead-farm.net/ . Open daily 8 to 6 through Oct. 31; weekends 9 to 5 in November and Friday-Sunday 9 to 5 in December, then closes until mid-May. The pick-your-own apple orchard and pumpkin farm's six-acre corn maze, geared toward kids ages 4-13, includes accents such as plywood gravestones, a bridge, a tepee and other surprises. Hayrides are Saturdays and Sundays from 9 to 5 during October. Both activities require admission.

PHILLIPS FARM 13710 Schaeffer Rd., Germantown. 301-540-2364. http://www.phillipsfarmproduce.com/ (includes directions). Open weekends 10 to dark, weekdays 3 to dark through October; reopens after Thanksgiving for Christmas trees, then closes before Christmas and reopens in July. Hayrides, $1, go around the farm and to the five- to six-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Other highlights include a three-level jungle gym for the resident goats, haystacks to climb, farm animals to pet and feed, a giant hay bale spider and harvest themes. Pony rides, Saturdays and Sundays 11 to 3, are $4.

ROCK HILL ORCHARD 28600 Ridge Rd. (Route 27), Mount Airy. 301-831-7427. http://www.rockhillorchard.com/ (with directions). Open daily 9 to 5 until the apple supply is gone, probably in mid- to late October. Weather permitting, visitors can take free hayrides to the 3- to 3 1/2 -acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch or 600-tree apple orchard Saturdays and Sundays noon to 4 in October.

ROCKVILLE FLOWER & GARDEN SPOT Mid-Pike Plaza Shopping Center, 11800B Rockville Pike, Rockville. 301-984-3565 or 301-294-6800. Through Oct. 20, open Monday-Saturday 9 to 7, Sundays 10 to 6; Oct. 21-31, open Monday-Saturday 9 to 9, Sundays 10 to 7. The garden center's 10th annual free Pumpkinville Festival takes place daily through Oct. 31. Kids can play on a straw mountain and walk through a free, 300-foot straw maze decorated with stuffed cartoon characters. New highlights include a daily petting zoo and, for additional fees Oct. 21, 22 and 29, pony rides, moon bounces and other children's activities. The Haunted Trail of Terror, an electronic walk-through attraction for ages 10 and older, additional fee required, is open Saturdays and Sundays in October.

Prince George's County

BILLINGSLEY HOUSE MUSEUM 6900 Green Landing Rd., Upper Marlboro. 301-627-0730. http://www.pgparks.com/places/eleganthistoric/billingsley_intro.html . Maze open Saturdays and Sundays noon to 5 through Oct. 29. $5, free ages 5 and younger. A six-acre corn maze on the grounds of this circa 1740 house features a mile of paths in a design cut to resemble two smiling Maryland blue crabs. Visitors also can take free hayrides and visit a pumpkin patch with $2 pumpkins.

C & E FARM LLC 11415 Old Pond Dr., Glenn Dale. Take Route 704 (Martin Luther King Jr. Highway) east, which becomes Route 450 (Annapolis Road) east. Turn left onto Glenn Dale Road, then right onto Old Pond Drive and go to the first driveway on the right. 301-352-2958. This produce farm's harvest fest, Saturdays 10 to 4 during October, includes a hayride to the pumpkin field, face painting, farm animals and a take-home plant growing activity. $7.50 per person.

QUEEN ANNE FARM 18102 Central Ave. (Route 214 East), Mitchellville. 301-249-2427. http://www.queenannefarm.com/ . Open weekdays 10 to 5 and Saturdays and Sundays 10 to dusk through Oct. 31. This farm with a produce market offers 12 acres of pick-your-own pumpkins. The aftermath of Tropical Storm Ernesto ruined a small corn maze; taking its place will be a free obstacle course for young children. Check the Web site for a schedule and fee for hayrides.

St. Mary's County

BOWLES FARMS 22880 Budd's Creek Rd., Clements. 301-475-2139. http://www.bowlesfarms.com/ . Open Fridays 4 to 9, Saturdays 10 to 9 and Sundays 11 to 6 through Oct. 29. $8, free for children 5 and younger accompanied by an adult. Now in its sixth year, the St. Mary's County Corn Maze & Pumpkin Harvest features a 15-acre corn maze with more than 3 1/2 miles of trails. Other highlights include pick-your-own pumpkins, hayrides and a free petting zoo and mini straw maze. The Web site lists details about special activities such as tractor pulls.

FORREST HALL FARM & ORCHARD 39136 Avie Lane, off Route 5, 1 1/2 miles from Route 235 (Three Notch Road), Mechanicsville. 301-884-3086. http://www.forresthallfarm.com/ . Open Saturdays and Sundays 11 to dusk through Nov. 5. Also open 6 to 9 for evening maze walks Oct. 29-31. $7, free for ages 3 and younger. Haunted hayrides, offered during the maze's evening hours, are $3. The sixth annual, five-acre Crazy Corn Maze, designed and cut by the farm's owners, the Wood family, features an "Ernesto's Path" design depicting the turmoil of the storm that ruined the maze originally planned. Designed to be difficult, the maze includes more than two miles of trails and offers rest areas and water stations. Check the Web site for special events.

T & A FARM 18281 St. Jerome's Neck Rd., Dameron. Take Route 301 south to Route 235 south. About 45 minutes from Waldorf, turn left on St. Jerome's Neck Road and go one mile to the farm on the right. 301-872-5003. Open weekdays 3 to 6 and Saturdays and Sundays 9 to 7 during October. This small farm offers a mini corn maze for young children, a straw bale maze, farm animals and a barn with pumpkins. Visitors can create prints on paper using corn cobs Saturday and Sunday. Admission is by donation.

Virginia
Fairfax County

BURKE NURSERY & GARDEN CENTRE 9401 Burke Rd., Burke. 703-323-1188. http://www.pumpkinplayground.com/ . Nursery open daily 9 to 9 year-round. The nursery holds its 12th annual Fall Festival and Pumpkin Playground daily 9 to 9, with additional weekend activities Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5, through Oct. 31. Admission -- $11 on weekends and Columbus Day, $8 on weekdays, free for ages younger than 2 -- includes a softball-size pumpkin and a surprise-filled hayride on a wheelchair-accessible wagon. Other daily highlights include a fort reached by tunnels, pirate- and western-themed activities, mechanical rides, a tepee, several slides, tumbling tubes and a rope swing.

COX FARMS 15621 Braddock Rd., at Pleasant Valley and Braddock roads, midway between Routes 29 and 50, about five miles west of Centreville. 703-830-4121. http://www.coxfarms.com/ . Open daily 10 to 6 or dark (last entry at 5) through Oct. 28; Oct. 29 through Nov. 5 closing time is 5 (last entry at 4).The weekend and Columbus Day entry fee is $13, free for ages younger than 2. Weekday admission, which includes fewer activities, is $8, free for ages younger than 2. Fall Festival weekend highlights include the new Slide-o-Saurus Mountain and activities such as hayrides, mountain slides, a smoking "Volcano Rumble Slide," rope swings over foam pits and farm animals (including piglets born Sept. 24). The Web site's calendar lists daily entertainment. Cox Farms' roadside produce market (2599 Chain Bridge Rd., Vienna; 703-281-0165) has a play area for children and features a master pumpkin carver on Oct. 22 from 11 to 3.

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S GRISTMILL Route 235, between Mount Vernon and Route 1. 703-780-2000. http://www.mountvernon.org/ . Mount Vernon's annual Fall Harvest Family Days move to the nearby restored gristmill, Oct. 21 and 22 from 10 to 5. Because of the change of venue, this year's event will not include a maze and free pumpkins, but admission is free. Highlights include flax to linen demonstrations, outdoor cooking, colonial music and a bake sale. Visitors can help a candle maker and make a cornhusk doll.

HEATHER HILL GARDENS 8111 Ox Rd., Fairfax Station, a half-mile south of Lee Chapel Road. 703-690-6060. Open Monday-Friday 10 to 6, Saturdays 10 to 5:30 and Sundays 11 to 5:30 through October. Pony rides, $3, Saturdays 10 to 4 and Sundays 11 to 4. Other highlights, $4 per person, free for ages 2 and younger, include a small pumpkin, a pumpkin fort play area, farm animals and assorted children's activities.

KROP'S CROPS 11110 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls. 703-430-8955. Open daily 10 to 6 through October; closed in November, reopens in December for Christmas trees. Closed Dec. 24 until late March. Take a tractor-pulled hayride, $2, to the 20-year-old produce market's pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Features geared toward young children include farm animals and straw and corn play activities.

MEADOWS FARMS 10618 Leesburg Pike, Vienna. 703-759-3900. http://www.meadowsfarms.com/ . Hours vary seasonally and by location; open through Dec. 24, reopens late February. A free Fall Festival, held during the garden center's business hours through Oct. 31, includes slides, giant scarecrows and crawling pipes. A free moon bounce is available Saturday and Sunday and Oct. 14 and 15. Activities also take place at locations at 5043 Plank Rd., Fredericksburg, 540-786-8171; 1360 E. Market St., Leesburg, 703-777-1900; 5074 Lee Hwy., Warrenton, 540-341-0020; and 5432 Old National Pike, Frederick, 301-473-5411.

NALLS PRODUCE 7310 Beulah St., Alexandria. 703-971-4068. Open this month Monday-Saturday 9 to 7, Sundays 9 to 6; hours change seasonally, closed January and February. Through October, children can visit a free pumpkin tunnel at this fruit and vegetable stand, which sells seasonal produce and specialty products.

Fauquier County

APPLE RIDGE RANCH 3549 Fiery Run Rd. (Route 726), Linden. Take Interstate 66 west to Markham Exit 18, Route 688, and turn left under Interstate 66. Go right on Route 55 west and travel about 1.5 miles to left on Fiery Run Road (Route 726). Go about 1.5 miles to the top of the S-curve in the road; farm is on the left. 540-364-2079. Open Saturdays and Sundays and holidays 9:30 to dark through Oct. 29. This family-oriented pick-your-own apple farm also has a new pick-your-own pumpkin patch and sells honey.

THE CORN MAZE IN THE PLAINS Route 245 north, just off Interstate 66 west, adjacent to the Archwood Green Barns Farmers Market, The Plains. 540-456-7339. http://www.cornmazeintheplains.com/ . Open Friday-Sunday and Columbus Day 10 to 6 through Nov. 5. The maze also will open for moonlight visits Oct. 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 and 28 and Nov. 3 and 4 from 7 to 10, with last tickets sold at 8:30. $8, $6 ages 4 to 12 and free for ages 3 and younger. Carved in the shape of flying bats, the five-acre, organically grown "Bat-titude" corn maze offers 2 1/2 miles of trails. Admission also includes a hayride, barnyard play area and farm animals.

COWS-N-CORN 5225 Catlett Rd., Midland. 540-439-4806. http://www.cows-n-corn.com/ . Open Fridays 4 to 9, Saturdays 10 to 9 and Sundays 12:30 to 6 through Nov. 5. $7, free for ages 3 and younger. The dairy farm's sixth annual maze features a 10-acre "Field of Fun" design depicting a cow peeking from a pumpkin patch. Admission includes a narrated hayride tour of the farm, pedal-powered go-karts for all ages, a straw bale maze, farm animals and a farm-themed play area with a corn-filled sandbox. Warrenton Fauquier Jaycees Hollywood Horror Haunted Hayrides, $10, including nighttime maze walks and campfires, starting at 7:30 Friday and Saturday nights, Oct. 14-Nov. 4.

HARTLAND ORCHARD 3064 Hartland Lane, Markham. 540-364-2316. http://www.hartlandorchard.com/ . Open daily 8 to 6 through the last week of October. Free, ongoing hayrides at this pick-your-own apple orchard run Saturdays and Sundays. The family-owned 1775 farm also features select-your-own pumpkins, farm animals and honey made in on-site hives.

SKY MEADOWS STATE PARK 11012 Edmonds Lane, Delaplane. 540-592-3556. http://www.hollinfarms.com/pages/pumpkins.html . The park is open daily dawn to dusk. $3 per car weekdays, $4 weekends. The October Fall Farm Fest, Saturdays and Sundays 11 to 5 throughout October at the visitor center, features farm animals and a five-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch grown by neighboring Hollin Farms. Musical performances and educational programs some weekends.

STRIBLING ORCHARD 11587 Poverty Hollow Lane, off Route 688 south, Markham. 540-364-3040. http://www.striblingorchard.com/ (includes directions). Open daily 9 to 6, with last orchard entry at 5:30, through mid-November; reopens in July. Pick apples and choose pumpkins at this six-generation family farm, which is more than 200 years old. Visitors can picnic at mountaintop tables and view farm animals. The Piedmont artisan craft section at the Harvest House, open weekends and by appointment, features locally made crafts and artwork.

Frederick County

HEDGEBROOK FARM MARKET AND PUMPKIN PATCH 690 Shady Elm Rd., two miles south of Winchester. 540-869-4100. http://www.hedgebrook.com/ . Open Saturdays 10 to 4 and Sundays noon to 4 through Oct. 29. Highlights at this 100-year-old, pesticide-free working dairy farm include pick-your-own pumpkins, farm animals and a children's play area. Call for times for Miss Kitty's Straw Rides, $4, featuring educational tours led by farm manager Kitty Nicholas.

HILL HIGH FARM 933 Barley Lane, Winchester. 540-667-7377. http://www.thepumpkin-patch.com/ (includes directions). Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5 through Oct. 29. This farm, which has been in the same family for more than 100 years, has a 25-acre pick-your-own apple orchard and 30 acres of pumpkins. The free Pumpkin Patch play area features a straw maze, farm animals and antique farm equipment. Hayrides, $6, free for ages 2 and younger, start about every half-hour and feature an apple and small pumpkin for each passenger; moonlight hayrides take place Fridays and Saturdays from 7 to 11. A galaxy-themed, eight-acre corn maze boasts about three miles of trails, open Fridays 7 to 11 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sundays 10 to 5 and Oct. 19 and 26 from 7 to 11. $7 for adults, $5 for children ages 5 to 12 and seniors ages 65 and older, free for ages 4 and younger. A high-tech, walk-through haunted house of more than 4,000 square feet features intense scenes and is not recommended for ages 7 and younger, people with heart conditions or pregnant women. Admission is $8. Open through October, Fridays 7 to 11, Saturdays 1 to 11, Sundays 1 to 5, Oct. 19 and 26 from 7 to 11 p.m. and Oct. 31 from 5 p.m. until visitors have left. Kids ages 12 and younger can visit an inflatable haunted maze Saturdays and Sundays, $3; adults may accompany young children for free. Visit the Web site for information about special events each weekend.

MARKER-MILLER ORCHARDS 3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester. 540-662-1980. http://www.markermillerorchards.com/ (includes directions). Open July through Dec. 23. Market open Monday-Friday 9 to 6, Saturdays 9 to 4 and Sundays noon to 4 during October; other hours vary seasonally. Wagon rides, $2, weekends at the 325-plus-acre pick-your-own apple orchards, which also offer pick-your-own pumpkins and a playground. The free annual Apple Harvest Festival is Saturday 9 to 5 and Sunday 10 to 5. Highlights include the barrel-train ride for kids, a bounce house ($1), apple butter making, antique tractors and live music. A pumpkin festival Oct. 28 from 9 to 5 includes similar activities, plus a pumpkin toss game, $1.

RICHARD'S FRUIT MARKET 6410 Middle Rd., Middletown. 540-869-1455. http://www.valleymarkets.com/Richards.htm (includes directions). Open August-November, Mondays-Saturdays 8:30 to 6, Sundays through Thanksgiving weekend 10 to 6; closed Thanksgiving day. This 53-year-old family apple orchard also offers pick-your-own pumpkins and pick-your-own flowers (until the first frost). The 13th annual Apple Festival Oct. 21 from 8:30 to 6 and Oct. 22 from 10 to 6 features free hayrides and other activities. The orchard holds its fifth annual gourd festival, featuring gourd artisans, Nov. 4 from 8:30 to 5:30 and Nov. 5 from 10 to 5:30. Free, but fees for classes. Check the Web site for information about classes.

RINKER ORCHARDS 1156 Marlboro Rd., Stephens City. Take Interstate 66 west to Interstate 81 north to Exit 307 (Stephens City). Turn left, go 2 1/2 to three miles and look for the farm on the right. 540-869-1499. Open daily 10 to 6 through Oct. 15; after that, hours vary with apple availability. This 107-year-old family apple orchard also features pick-your-own pumpkins. The orchard produces and sells its own flash-pasteurized apple cider.

VIRGINIA FARM MARKET 1881 N. Frederick Pike, Winchester. 540-665-8000. In October, open Monday-Thursday 8 to 7:30, Fridays 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Open April 1 to Dec. 1. Hours vary seasonally. Pumpkinland features a pumpkin-lined path with little red wagons and a large pumpkin-filled wagon designed as a photo backdrop. Other free kid-pleasing highlights include a small, decorated wire-mesh maze; a play area with a sandbox and a mini pumpkin checkers game; and a wooden train for climbing.

Loudoun County

CROOKED RUN ORCHARD 37883 E. Main St. (Business Route 7), Purcellville, 10 miles west of Leesburg. 540-338-6642. The pick-your-own apple orchard, open for picking Friday-Sunday 9 to 6 during October, offers horse-drawn buggy rides from 1 to 4 and free, interpretive hayrides at noon, 2 and 4 during the Loudoun Farm Color Tour on Oct. 21 and 22. The farm also features pigs to look at and has some select-your-own pumpkins and gourds.

GREAT COUNTRY FARMS 18780 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont. 540-554-2073. http://www.greatcountryfarms.com/ . Open daily 9 to 5 through Nov. 6; reopens Nov. 24 through Dec. 17 for Christmas tree sales; reopens in April. $4 weekdays; $6 weekends and Columbus Day. Free for ages younger than 2. This 200-acre farm offers hayrides to the 50-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch. New highlights include a 2,800-square-foot Pumpkin Jumpin' Pillow for outdoor bouncing, mazes, a twin 60-foot slide and a mountain made of tractor tires. The farm boasts numerous other children's activities, including a two-acre play area, additional mazes, more than 75 farm animals and a catch-and-release fishing pond. Weekend and Columbus Day admission also includes cornhusk-doll making, hourly pig racing from noon to 4 and P-Rex, the Pumpkin Munchin' Dino. Check the Web site for details about special weekend events such as live music and, on Oct. 28, Glow Night featuring jack-o'-lanterns carved by more than 3,000 schoolchildren.

LOUDOUN FARM COLOR TOUR Loudoun County Department of Economic Development, 1 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg. 703-777-0426. http://www.loudounfarms.org/ . Family-friendly attractions highlight this annual free, self-guided driving tour of 18 farms and country stores and 12 vineyards, some of which seldom open to the public. Oct. 21 and 22 from 10 to 4.

LAYNG'S FLOWER FARM 23520 Evergreen Mill Rd., Aldie. 703-327-0872. http://www.layngsflowerfarm.com/fallfest.html# . This family farm, which grows flowers and plants for retail and wholesale, holds its annual Fall Fest daily 10 to 6 (last entry at 5:30) through Nov. 5. $7 Saturdays and Sundays, $5 weekdays, free for ages 2 and younger. Highlights include hayrides, giant slides, tunnels, moon bounces, a hay maze, pumpkin painting, popcorn, tepees and a toddler play area. Check the Web site for a calendar of special events.

PUMPKINVILLE Leesburg Animal Park and Pioneer Garden, 19270 James Monroe Hwy. (Route 15 south), about 1 1/2 miles outside Leesburg. 703-779-2332. http://www.leesburganimalpark.com/pumpkinville.htm . Open daily 9 to 6 through Nov. 7; other hours vary seasonally. $10 Saturdays, Sundays and Columbus Day; $6.50 weekdays (with fewer activities) and free (without a pumpkin) for children younger than 2. Admission covers numerous kids' activities, including a new Spooky Pirate Ship and traditional favorites such as giant slides, a small hay maze and moon bounces, as well as entry into Leesburg Animal Park. Visit the Web site for details about free weekend entertainment and activities requiring additional fees.

TEMPLE HALL FARM REGIONAL PARK 15789 Temple Hall Lane, Leesburg. 703-779-9372. http://www.nvrpa.org/maize2006.html . Open Fridays 4 to 10, Saturdays 10 to 10 and Sundays and Columbus Day 11 to 6 through Oct. 29. $8 for ages 12 and older, $6 for ages 6 to 11 and free for ages 5 and younger. The 11-acre Maize at Temple Hall Farm Park commemorates the 400th anniversary of the founding of America at Jamestown with a design depicting scenes from the settlement. The park's free interpretive center, featuring farm animals, is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 to 5. A barnyard activity area, open until 6 includes hayrides and more, $3.

Orange County

DOUBLE B FARM 28200 Constitution Hwy. (Route 20), Rhoadesville, about 20 miles west of Fredericksburg. 540-854-4277. Store open Monday-Saturday 8 to 5, Sundays 10 to 5 through October; closes Christmas Eve and reopens Feb. 1. Hours change seasonally. Free activities offered through Oct. 29 include hayrides to the four-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch Saturdays 10 to 5 and Sundays 11 to 5, a petting zoo and a play area featuring a straw fort and haunted school bus geared toward children.

ROUND HILL FARM 6347 Everona Rd., off Route 522, 12 miles south of Culpeper. 540-854-7398. http://www.round-hill-farm.com/ (with directions). Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 5 through Oct. 29; open Monday-Friday for groups of 10 or more with reservations. $5, free for ages 3 and younger and 65 and older. A $20 pass for a family of four includes a $10 voucher toward a $30 produce purchase. The beef cattle and grain farm's 10th annual Harvest Festival activities include hayrides to the two- to three-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch, a playground, a two-acre round-bale hay maze and a petting zoo with new animals, including a zebra. Pony rides and face painting, weekends only, require additional fees.

Prince William County

OLD MINE RANCH 17504 Mine Rd., Dumfries, near Potomac Mills mall. 703-441-1382. http://www.oldmineranch.net/ . Open daily 10 to 5 through Nov. 15; hours change seasonally. Admission -- $6, free for ages younger than 2 -- to the rustic, 40-acre pony ranch includes a new inflatable haunted mansion, along with a little pumpkin, hayride, barn moon bounce, petting farm, ghost town, guided riverside hikes, pumpkin and cookie decorating and three tall mine tunnel slides. Watch a Wild West pony show Saturdays and Sundays at 1 and Monster Bash Kids' Karaoke Saturdays noon to 3. Pony rides are $2.

PLANTLAND 8548 Sudley Rd., Manassas. 703-369-1821. Store open daily 8:30 to 8:15. Plantland Playground, a fall play area open daily 9:30 to 8:15 through Oct. 31 (closing at 6 on Halloween), includes a new basketball hoop bounce and variety of other activities such as moon bounces and ride-on toys geared toward young children. $15 ages 1-12 Saturdays and Sundays, $12 weekdays; adults free.

Rappahannock County

MUSKRAT HAVEN FARM 20 Cedarbreak Lane, on Route 211, four miles west of Amissville, 15 miles west of Warrenton. 540-937-5892 or 540-937-5191. Open daily 9 to 5 through October. The farm has about nine acres of pick-your-own pumpkins and also sells fresh quail and rabbit.

Shenandoah County

MAIZE QUEST AT BRIDGEMONT FARM Route 720, four-tenths of a mile off Route 11, Mount Jackson. 540-477-4200. http://www.cornmaze.com/mq_location.asp?ID=5 . Open Fridays 4 to 10, Saturdays 11 to 10 and Sundays 1 to 7 through Nov. 12; call for weekday hours. $7 ages 13 and older, $5 for ages 5 to 12 and free for ages 4 and younger. This farm adjacent to the historic Meems Bottom covered bridge features Maize Quest's "Pirate Treasure"-themed, eight-acre corn maze with nine hidden pirates and flags. Last year's T-Rex theme lives on in a 4-foot sorghum maze. Other attractions include a rope maze and pedal carts.

Spotsylvania County

BELVEDERE PLANTATION Route 17 south, seven miles southeast of Fredericksburg. 540-371-8494 or 800-641-1212. http://www.belvedereplantation.com/ . Through Nov. 4, the maze is open Fridays 5 to 10, Saturdays 10 to 10, and Sundays and Columbus Day 10 to 5; the Great Pumpkin Patch activities area is open maze hours through Oct. 29. Admission for the maze and Great Pumpkin Patch is $12, $10 for seniors and military personnel, and free for ages younger than 2. The historic, 1,000-acre farm features as its maze theme "Lostalot's Plow." The overhead view resembles a huge plow. The nearly eight-acre maze, now in its seventh year, boasts special features such as bridges, themed sound and a new maze puzzle with triple logic levels. Lights-out Moonlight Mazes take place Oct. 27 and 28 and require flashlights. The Great Pumpkin Patch includes hayrides to large pick-your-own pumpkin patches; a straw-filled fun barn with rope swings; pygmy goats and more. Visit the Web site for details about special weekend events, additional activities and live music.

Annandale writer Mary Jane Solomon, whose most recent Weekend article described pick-your-own apple orchards, loves everything about autumn.