Glorious fall days call for hiking, pumpkin picking, apple cider drinking, and taking big gulps of fresh, cool air.  Searching for that perfect spot – close to metro D.C. – that you can bring your dog and enjoy a day outdoors?  We’ve found it for you.

Autumnal display at Hollin Farms

Welcome to Hollin Farms in Delaplane, Virginia.  We’ve enjoyed visiting the Davenports’ farm for many years now – each year brings new crops, the view is exceptional, and you know how we love our family farms!  This particular trip we were on a mission for the great pumpkin.  We decided to bring Junior and Mindy with us for some exercise and socialization.  The pumpkin patch is dog friendly, but please use good canine etiquette – keep on a short leash, avoid allowing your dog to pee or poop where people will be picking,  and clean up after they go in more appropriate spots.  “The Beast” and “BooBoo” surprised us with their perfect canine manners and even served as model adoption ambassadors when people asked about them.

We were thrilled to find out that not only was there an abundant crop of pumpkins but peanuts and potatoes were ripe for the digging.  That’s right, “dig your own”!  Families were enjoying teaching their little ones that peanuts grow underground and the little ones were enjoying getting dirty.

Unearthing peanuts

Mindy included.

Mindy learning to pick peanuts

Found ’em!

Peanuts don’t come fresher than this!

Next, we were off to the potato patch.

Junior and Mindy leading the way

Look, ma, I caught one!

As if that weren’t enough, there are huge plots of all kinds of greens – bok choy, collards, kale, arugula – and daikon radishes and turnips and other yummy edibles. There are even some colorful zinnias for picking.

Field of greens

You’re encouraged to cut from above ground – leaving the roots intact allow the plants to continue to grow. After filling several bags, we were off to the pumpkin patch.

The ultimate pumpkin patch

By this time, Junior was exhausted. He tried to talk us into the first pumpkin he came upon.

Junior’s pumpkin

A fun day was had by all. And today we’re trying our hand at boiled peanuts! We’ll let you know how they turn out.