Poll one dozen people in Loudoun County and you might get 12 different answers for the quintessential fall activity.
For some, it’s picking fresh Virginia apples or selecting the perfect pumpkin. For others, it’s horseback riding and leaf-peeping through the countryside. No matter what you enjoy, Loudoun County farms provide the experience and the products that make the harvest season special.
As you plan your self-guided path through the Loudoun Fall Farm Tour on Oct. 16-17, check these activity categories for a cornucopia of inspiration.
Horses, Donkeys and Goats, Oh My!
Loudoun County has a rich history of fox hunting, polo and other equestrian activities, supported by some of the most picturesque horse farms in Virginia. In recent years, donkeys, goats and other herd animals have found a home in Loudoun, creating unique experiences for you and your family on the tour. Check out these farms for the best chance to take a selfie with a four-legged friend:
Donkey Meadows: Donkey Meadows is a preservation farm for the American Mammoth Jackstock. Since we are not a breeding farm, we place our focus on preserving the breed by education. While visiting the donkeys you will learn the important part the breed played in American Agricultural history and the unfortunate status the breed is in now. Donkey rides are available from 10 a.m – 1 p.m. for fee of $10, then meet and greet the donkeys from 1 – 4 p.m.
Georges Mill Farm Artisan Cheese: An eighth-generation Loudoun family farm producing handmade artisanal cheeses using milk from our herd of Alpine dairy goats. Stop by our farm store to pick up some delicious cheese, then come up and meet the goats!
Willow Spring Farm: We breed and train racing thoroughbreds. Presently we have two broodmares and a promising yearling. We have 12-acres and an 8-stable barn. Come learn how to properly care for a horse, including brushing, feeding, foot cleaning, watering and feeding it.
Flying Into the Fall
Whether you’re interested in hives or flocks, Loudoun has some of the finest flyers in the land. Discover beekeeping, learn about the challenges of pasture-raised poultry, and find out why free-range eggs are worth the hype.
Aurora Farm Apiary: Join them throughout the weekend for paid beekeeping workshops, by appointment.
Long Stone Farm: Enjoy self-guided farm tours on Saturday and Sunday. Join us for guided tours by Casey, on Saturday only, including a 30-minute lesson on pasture-raised broiler production tour at 11 a.m., and a 45-minute pasture-raised pork production tour at 2 p.m.
Mountain View Farm: This multi-enterprise farm features pasture-raised chicken and some local produce. Training will be offered on raising meat birds in the pasture. This includes the health and taste benefits of pastured poultry as well as the benefits to land stewardship. Small discussion of some of the challenges of setting up a small farm. Located at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, 10-miles of trails are also available.
Paige’s Pit Stop – Farm Store: We grow our own veggies, raise chickens and ducks for eggs, sell local meats, jams, pickles, baked goods, cider & more. Visit, feed the animals and learn about animal care, including fun facts about the animals. We have goats, ducks, chickens and turkeys.
School Hill Garden & Tiny Acre Farm: Fresh homegrown produce, beef, pork, duck and chicken eggs, weekly special baked goods, jams, jellies, pickles, vegetable bedding plants such as over 10 different heirloom tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, etc. We are sixth-generation farmers digging in the same dirt for more than 100 years.
Spring House Farm: Spring House Farm raises a multitude of products that include pasture-raised and forest-finished pork, grass-fed and grass-finished beef, and honey. We will offer an opportunity to learn how our pasture-raised hen operation works.
Farm to Favor
Nothing says “thank you” like a one-of-a-kind gift from a local business. Loudoun farms deliver on this promise every day, providing artisan Loudoun Made, Loudoun Grown products that help honor the special people in your life. As holiday shopping gears up, keep these farms in mind on the Loudoun Fall Farm Tour:
Blooming Hill Lavender Farm & Gift Shop: Ornamental lavender farm featuring a variety of lavenders & beautiful gardens, a garden/gift shop. This weekend only, plan to enjoy tea and scones in the gardens!
Hope Flower Farm: Shop the Loudoun Made Loudoun Grown Marketplace Visit during Farm Tour Weekend to explore the dahlia fields at Hope Flower Farm. Bouquets and dahlias are available to purchase and guests are welcome to picnic and take pictures in the fields.
Miss Tina’s Amish Country: Visit our rural business with local products and produce. We will have our soft hot pretzels here and some other fun activities for the kids.
Agriculture Innovators
Loudoun farms are on the cutting edge of agriculture, embracing new products, new methods and some of the most regenerative and eco-friendly practices on the market. Check out these innovators and expand your definition of agriculture.
Cannabreeze Hemp Farm and Company: Visitors will be able to tour the farm, fields, production facility, grow house, and lab. Learn about the lifecycle of hemp; from seed to harvest; from plant extraction to CBD retail products.
Endless Summer Harvest: Tour our hydroponic, controlled agriculture environment farm and see the future of farming here and now in Loudoun County. Shop from the Farm Stand: Loudoun Lettuce, Savoir Fare salad dressing, Red Gate honey, Joy Flower Farm, local pesticide-free vegetables from View of Heaven farm.
Planetary Farms: We’re only open on Saturday! Come visit to see our diversity of fruits, vegetables, medicinal herbs, nuts trees in food forest-style gardens. We can teach you about food forestry and the methods we use for sustainable agriculture through the use of permaculture techniques.
Three Cap Farms: 3CF is a small-scale cultivator of boutique, gourmet mushrooms. Our mushrooms are all-natural and grown year-round. We will provide tours that go over how we grow our mushrooms, from spore to the final product.
Pick Your Own Picture-Perfect Produce
Come taste the best of the harvest season in Loudoun County, with orchard apples, pumpkins fresh from the vine, and the opportunity to tour some of the most fertile fields in Virginia. Don’t miss the opportunity to get lost in a corn maze along the way!
Great Country Farms: Fallelujah with us! Do it all this fall: regenerative ag corn maze, pumpkin picking, pig races, cider donuts, cider pressing, BBQ & the P-Rex, Pokey! We offer a Cider Pressing Demonstration that educated our guests on cider, apples and how they have been pressed in the past compared to how they are processed today.
Lost Corner Farm: We will be taking folks on a tour of our 40-acre field where we do all the growing for CSA and market. There will also be items for purchase. Come enjoy a guided tour of the field and specifics on the type of food we grow.
Northern Virginia Wholesale Growers: For anyone interested, this is the farm where donations can be made to purchase local produce for Loudoun Hunger Relief, supporting food-insecure families in Loudoun County. Exit Route 7 onto Route 9 towards Hillsboro. Look for greenhouses & red/white tent. Turn at the first gate on the left and visit our farm. Activities include a free mini pumpkin for kids to paint, perfect for kids.
Wegmeyer Farms: Wegmeyer Farms have more than 65 varieties of exceptional quality pumpkins to pick from. Learn different pumpkin varieties and how plants grow on the vine.
Flocking to Fiber
Ready to get cozy this winter? Whether you prefer alpaca wool or sheep’s fleece, shop early for Loudoun-sourced fiber, hats, gloves and socks. Meet the majestic creatures behind the fibers and knock out your holiday shopping early.
Butterfly Hill Farm Store: Visit the friendly alpacas and learn about them. Feed, touch, take a selfie with or walk an alpaca. Shop for locally produced alpaca products. For education activities, join us for yarn spinning and/or weaving demonstrations. Visit the butterfly garden, which is a certified monarch way station.
Double 8 Alpaca Ranch: Double 8 Alpaca Ranch is home to award-winning alpacas, llamas, horses and chickens. Locally grown yarns and other fiber products are available. Join us during the farm tour for alpaca and llama fiber processing demonstrations.
Kathy Ann’s Farm: Kathy Ann’s Farm is a family-run fiber farm just outside of Waterford, Va. Join us for lessons in weaving on the loom, the fleece/wool processing procedure, learning about Livestock Guardian Dogs, nature hike with a kids scavenger hunt and more.
Willow Hawk Farm: See our sheep and lambs, bank barn, spinning and dyeing demos, yarns, roving, & pelts. Meet our Great Pyrenees guardians and welcome crew. Enjoy spinning and dyeing demos, how wool goes from the sheep to finished products.
For more information on this year’s tour locations, visit LoudounFarmTour.com.
