DMV FUN
Fruit Picking
Fun BY WF STAFF
Pools and parks aren’t the only outdoor places to take kids this summer. One great way to get outside
is to do some fruit picking. Here are seven local farms that offer pick-your-own opportunities in August
and September. Take a bite of this fun and follow up with an afternoon of pie baking. Enjoy!
Tuesday through Sunday, pick
black raspberries and blueberries
starting at 8:30 a.m. Take a
hay-filled tractor ride around the
farm or reserve a space to roast
marshmallows with your friends.

You can even come back in
September and October for their
Pumpkin Festival, which includes
hayrides and cider. Visitors can
also pick peas, strawberries,
tart cherries, blackberries, red
raspberries and apples within
the summer and early fall months
as well as choose Christmas
trees in late November through
December. The farm market has
even more choices, including
veggies and kitchen décor — not
to mention a bakery. Day pass,
$3; season pass, $25.

butlersorchard.com BURNSIDE FARMS, NOKESVILLE, VA.

From mid-June through Labor
Day, cut sunflowers or explore
one of the nation’s only sunflower
mazes. There are also gardens of
gladiolus and clouds of cosmos
to be cut and paired with those
freshly cut sunflowers. Burnside
Farm also has a bounce house,
a two-story slide, a bubble
station, cornhole games and
more. Season pass, $15; flowers
are priced by stem and run from
50 cents a stem for cosmos
to $1.50 a stem for sunflowers.

burnsidefarms.com GREAT COUNTRY FARMS, BLUEMONT, VA.

On Tuesdays, pick blackberries
and peaches through the month
of August. The farm hosts the
Big Potato Dig on Aug. 18-19 for
all the spuds fans out there (and
who isn’t a fan?). Apple picking
starts in late August and goes
through September, when you
can head to the fields to pick
grapes and then pumpkins. The
farm market offers all of this
produce as well as eggs, local
honey and cider doughnuts.

Children, $8; adults, $10.

greatcountryfarms.com WEGMEYER FARMS, HAMILTON, VA.

Wegmeyer Farms is known for its
strawberries in the spring and its
pumpkins in the fall. In the fall, go
to its Wayside Farm playground
32 WashingtonFAMILY AUGUST 2019
for a corn maze, hay rides and
even pig races on Saturdays
and Sundays. Free.

wegmeyerfarms.com HOMESTEAD FARM, POOLESVILLE, MD.

plums, through August. The fall
months offer apple and pumpkin
picking as well as digging your
own peanuts and potatoes. The
farm also gives customers the
option to purchase local Angus
beef with the next slaughter
date being Aug. 12. Free.

hollinfarms.com Pick peaches, blueberries and
blackberries seven days a
week this summer. During other
seasons, the farm grows apples,
pumpkins and tart cherries. In
its market, you can purchase
pre-picked fruits and veggies,
Monday through Saturday,
preservatives and local honey. $2
pick your own peaches, red
per person. homestead-farm.net
raspberries, blackberries,
tomatoes and apples through
August. In September and
During the summer months, pick
October, you can pick from 12
from a large variety of fruits and
types of apples, pumpkins and
veggies, including peaches and
winter squash. Besides the
market, the Sweet Shop offers
12 kinds of handmade fudge,
eight varieties of ice cream
and fresh fruit slushes. When
you are not picking your own
fruits and veggies, you can
explore the playground, take
a wagon ride or try out the
farm’s cow train activity. Free.

markermillerorchards.com T
MARKER-MILLERS ORCHARDS
FARM, WINCHESTER, VA.

HOLLIN FARMS, DELAPLANE, VA.

COURTESY OF GETTY IMGAES
BUTLER’S ORCHARD, GERMANTOWN, MD.




GOOD EATS
Pop Up a Movie Night
I nvite your friends and neighbors over, spread out some comfy seating and dim the lights. We all
know that August is the time when “summer boredom” hits. So, why not try something new like
hosting an end-of-summer movie night in the comfort of your own home or on a projector in the
yard? Of course, tasty snacks only add to the fun.

Light and airy popcorn is a movie watching staple and one you can feel good about eating. At only 30
calories per cup, whole-grain, freshly popped popcorn is naturally low in fat and calories, non-GMO,
gluten-free, contains no artificial additives or preservatives and is sugar-free.

Enjoyed a handful at a time or as part of creative, flavorful snack recipes – like Popcorn Pepperoni
Pizza Dippers, Sweet and Salty Popcorn Party Mix and Truffle Popcorn – popcorn offers plenty of
versatility to fit nearly any theme.

Popcorn Pepperoni
Pizza Dippers
Yield: 16 squares
Nonstick cooking spray
2
eggs ½ cup tomato and basil
reduced-fat cooking
cream 1 tablespoon grated
parmesan cheese
⅛ teaspoon coarse ground
black pepper
10 cups popped popcorn
1 cup shredded mozzarella
cheese ⅓ cup thinly sliced
pepperoni, coarsely
chopped marinara sauce, for dipping
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 8-inch square baking
pan with nonstick cooking
spray. In large bowl, whisk eggs,
cooking cream, parmesan
cheese and black pepper. Stir
in popcorn, mozzarella cheese
and pepperoni.

Spread mixture in prepared
pan, patting down with spatula
or spoon.

Bake about 15 minutes until
set and lightly browned. Let
sit 5 minutes. Cut into 16 bars.

Serve warm with marinara
sauce. ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/
CHILD: MAX-KEGFIRE;
TRUFFLE OIL: PICTUREPARTNERS
Sweet and Salty
Popcorn Party Mix
Yield: 14 cups
10 cups popped popcorn
2 cups miniature pretzel
twists 1
cup pecans
1
cup peanuts
2 cups rice, wheat or corn
cereal squares
½ cup butter (1 stick)
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
½ teaspoon baking soda
Heat oven to 300 degrees.

In large bowl, combine
popcorn, pretzels, pecans,
peanuts and cereal squares;
set aside.

In medium saucepan over
medium heat, heat butter,
brown sugar and corn syrup.

Stir mixture until it begins to
boil. Boil 3 minutes without
stirring. Remove from heat
and stir in baking soda. Note:
Mixture will foam.

Pour syrup over popcorn
mixture and stir until evenly
coated. Pour mixture onto
large, rimmed baking sheet
or roasting pan. Bake 30
minutes, stirring twice during
baking. Stir mixture several
times as it cools. Store in
airtight container.

In large, heavy-bottomed pot
with lid, combine olive oil and
1 tablespoon truffle oil. Add
about three popcorn kernels.

Heat medium-high until one
kernel pops. Add remaining
popcorn kernels; cover.

Once corn begins to pop,
shake pot constantly over heat.

When popping slows,
remove pot from heat and
transfer popcorn to large
serving bowl.

Melt butter and mix in
remaining truffle oil. Pour
mixture over popcorn; toss.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese,
salt and pepper over popcorn;
toss to distribute evenly.

Serve immediately or store
in airtight container. ■
Find more recipes perfect
for serving at your next movie
night at popcorn.org.

— Family Features
Truffle Popcorn
Yield: 10 cups
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon, plus 2
teaspoons, white truffle
oil, divided
½ cup popcorn kernels
1
tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons shredded
parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black
pepper WashingtonFAMILY.com 33