 Autumn walk With school starting up in the fall, it’s important to keep making an effort to spend quality time with the whole family. Fortunately, fall is a great season to enjoy being together and exploring the outdoors. Cooler temperatures can be a relief from the heat of summer, but there are still plenty of days that are pleasantly warm. When those beautiful fall days hit, you’ll want to have a game plan in your back pocket so you can get straight out there and enjoy them. If you’re in or near the Front Royal area, there’s loads of classic country fall activities to explore. Don’t waste the warm weather while it’s still here! Read on to plan a Front Royal fall adventure for the whole family. Apple Picking in Front Royal  Apple picking Picking fruit is a great outdoor activity for all ages. You can enjoy some of nature’s sweetest treats while getting in some fresh air and exercise together. Near Front Royal, head to Stribling Orchard for apple picking fun. You can pick you own apples, check out the farm animals, and visit the store for more yummy local products. Find live music and favorite Front Royal vendors here on the weekends. Hartland Orchard is another great local option for apple picking. You’ll find it conveniently located near I-66. Or head a little further from the interstate to explore the apple orchards at Hollin Farms and Valley View Farm. Fall Farm Fun  Fall farm fun Fall is a great season to enjoy local farms, with many putting together extra family fun attractions. Head towards Winchester to find a few. Wayside Farm Fun has the classic fall attractions you’d expect, and some you’ve maybe never heard of. Enjoy a corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin smashing, giant slides, and even giant jumping pillow. Don’t forget to pick a pumpkin before you go home. For more classic fall fun, check out High Hill Farm for a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and hayrides. The farm remains open after dark so you can enjoy a family friendly (not “haunted”) moonlit hayride too. Great Country Farms is a local farm that’s open all year round. Families can enjoy meeting the animals, exploring u-pick fields, catch and release fishing, and an exciting play area. Attend the Pumpkin Festival this fall to find a great destination for all year round. The Pumpkin Festival includes pumpkin picking, pig races, cider pressing demos, and more, as well as access to the play area. Pumpkin Baking and Carving  Pumkin Carving It wouldn’t be October without some pumpkin carving (and eating!) fun. Most fall farm adventures involve buying more pumpkins (in more unique colors and sizes!) than you may have originally intended. But once you get them home, pumpkins are the basis of some fun fall activities you can enjoy without leaving your house. Get everyone together for a pumpkin carving party. Stick with a simple jack-o-lantern face, or explore more intricate designs. Enjoy baking pumpkin flavored treats from pies to muffins and more. And don’t throw away those seeds! You can roast them for a tasty treat that’s full of health benefits.
Don’t waste the beautiful days of early fall in Front Royal. There’s so much to do outdoors as you enjoy mild temperatures for the last time in a few months. Pick (at least) one activity from this post and make a point of having seasonal fun with your kids in Front Royal this fall!  Pick your own with the kiddos! Heading out to a farm and picking your own produce is a great summer activity with kids. They’ll love the chance to pick (and eat!) their favorite fruits and vegetables, and they’ll learn a bit about where their food comes from in the process. Plus it’s a great chance to get everybody outside and enjoying the summer weather. Read on for our top five tips on making your pick-your-own experience a success, plus recommendations of pick your own farms to love in the Front Royal area. 1. Pick What You’ll Eat  Start picking! This one might seem obvious, but when you’re faced with a field full of delicious looking fruit, it’s easy to get carried away. Focus on planning your outing around fruit you know you’ll still enjoy when you get it home. Your kids will probably enjoy the outing more if they’re picking a favorite food too. As well as picking what you like, it’s also a good idea to keep in mind how much you’ll be able to eat when you get it home. It’s easy to pick a lot in the field and feel overwhelmed when it’s in your kitchen. We have some more tips below on using up excess, but it’s good to plan ahead too to minimize waste. 2. Call or Check Social Media before Heading Out  Plan ahead Farming (and public fruit picking!) are not completely predictable, and supply at a pick-your-own farm varies from day to day. It’s a good idea to call the farm before you get there to make sure they have fruit available for picking. Many pick your own farms will also post updates on their social media pages so you can make sure there’s fruit available and avoid disappointment. The good news is that there are so many pick your own farms in Front Royal you should be able to find another one if your first choice is picked out. 3. Pack a Picnic  Picnic paradise Farms are beautiful places, especially around Front Royal, with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains all around. Plan for being able to take it slow and enjoy your surroundings when you get there. Most pick-your-own farms welcome visitors to bring picnics and enjoy their time in the fields. Bring foods that’ll tasted good with whatever you’re picking for maximum picnic success! Pair whipped cream and shortcake cookies with strawberries or peaches, or bring cheese and crackers on your apple picking expedition. 4. Be Prepared for the Heat  Remember to hydrate! It’s hard for kids to remember to take care of themselves when they’re outdoors in the sun and busy having fun. But summer’s heat in Virginia is something to take seriously. There’s nothing fun about starting to feel sick in the middle of an outing. To help prevent heat-related problems, make sure everyone wears hats. Be sure to pack water bottles or electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade or coconut water and hydrate frequently. 4. Get Creative with Your Haul  Jams and jellies, oh my! Even if you limit yourself when you’re out picking, it’s still likely you’ll get home and find that what you’ve brought looks like a lot more on your kitchen table than it did in the field. Don’t give in to overwhelm and let it go bad before you can eat it. Having surplus fruit can be a great learning experience for everyone. Trying baking up a fruit dessert together. Cobblers and crisps are classic favorites that are both simple and healthy. You can even eat the leftovers with yogurt for a yummy and nutritious breakfast. Or take the chance to teach kids about fruit preservation (and enjoy your pickings for much longer!) You can preserve fruit by making jams and jellies and canning them, or for a super easy solution freeze your haul and save it for smoothies and more! Where to Pick Your Own in Front Royal  Hartland Orchard - Markham, VA If you’re ready to get started picking your own produce, Front Royal is a great place to be! Hartland Orchard is a popular option that’s easy to access (and find!) from I-66, although it can be crowded. Hollins Farm is a slightly further drive, but it’s great option with lots of variety, including pick your own veggies as well as fruits, and even dig-your-own peanuts! And Valley View Farm is a great place to spend a whole day with opportunities for farm tours, local cider and wine tasting, and more! For peaches and apples in a scenic setting that’s a bit more removed from the hustle and bustle, try Stribling Orchard. It’s a beautiful place to pick your own and enjoy a picnic.  Valley View Farm - Delaplane, VA Flowers aren’t (usually) edible, but they’re still fun to pick. Head to Clover Hill Farm to enjoy pick your own a different way, with gorgeous blooms available to pick spring through fall. Sign up for a kids class too, and you can pick flowers and learn more about gardening all at the same time.
Picking your own fruit and flowers is a great activity for kids and adults in the warmer weather. If you’re around the Front Royal area, you’re in a great place to take the family out and pick, with loads of options to find the farm that’s perfect for you. Follow our tips and head on out there for a day of delicious, educational fun!  Find the best local produce in Front Royal As gas prices continue to climb this summer, it’s a great time to appreciate all we have close at hand. Those in the Front Royal area have plenty of fun to enjoy without travelling too far, and in the summer there’s also lots of food being produced close to home. No need to buy in food from far away and pay for the costs of transporting it! Here at Discover Front Royal, we’re providing a guide to some of the fantastic local food that’s produced right in our area. Today, we’ve rounded up three local favorites that all begin with a “P”: peaches, peanuts, and . . . pies! Read on to learn more about these classic local foods, and how to enjoy them in the Front Royal area. Pick your Own Peaches in Front Royal  Pick your own peaches Biting into a delicious, juicy peach is one of the pleasures of summertime, and if you have a freshly picked, local peach in hand, it’s going to taste all the better. Virginia has a great climate for peach production, and has ranked as the fourteenth largest peach producer in the United States. In a rural area like Front Royal, it’s not too hard to find orchards with delicious fresh peaches ready to pick and eat! Peach season runs through July, August, and sometimes into early September, so most of the summer is a great time to eat fresh, local peaches. To pick your own peaches, head to one of Front Royal’s nearby fruit farms. Hartland Orchard is a popular option, and conveniently close to I-66. To get a bit more off the beaten path, try Valley View Farm. After peach picking, you can enjoy wine and cider tasting as well as exploring the extensive “locavore farm market" filled with local products. Hollin Farms is another great peach-picking option, where you can also pick in-season fresh vegetables. Stock up on summer garden classics like corn, tomatoes, beans, zucchini, peppers, and more, including some you may never have heard of. To ensure availability, always call ahead before heading out on a pick you own expedition. Front Royal’s Virginia Peanuts  Virginia peanuts, yum! From peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to roasted peanuts and peanut butter cups, it’s safe to say peanuts are a favorite staple of the American diet. But did you know that Front Royal’s own state of Virginia was the first known U.S. location where peanuts were planted, and remains one of the nation’s top producers of peanuts? First arriving in Virginia in the early 1900s, peanut plants thrived in Virginia’s warm summers and sandy, loamy soil. Today, Virginia’s peanuts are an exciting and delicious local product.  If you’re thinking of peanuts as a nut growing on a tree, think again. Despite their nutty name, peanuts are actually legumes that grow beneath the soil. In the Front Royal area, you can enjoy a close encounter with a peanut plant at Hollin Farms, where dig-your-own peanuts are typically available in September and October. Bring the kids for a fun and unique outing, and make some homemade peanut butter when you get home! To find Virginia Peanuts that you don’t have to dig up in Front Royal, check out the gift shop at the Apple House, where you’ll find shelves full of local products, including peanuts and lots more. Or explore Dusty’s Country Store where you’ll find delicious, small-batch made peanut butter made with peanuts from the great state of Virginia. Enjoy a Local Pie in Front Royal  Fresh baked pies at Down Home Comfort Bakery “As American as Apple Pie” is how the saying goes, and it’s true that pies are a classic favorite American dessert. During the summer and fall, using in-season fruit for a pie is a great way to make an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert, and give a fresh, local touch to your table. To make pie-making a snap, try this easy “no-roll” pie crust recipe. Make the crust right in your pie dish, add your filling, and you’ll be cooking up a delicious pie before you know it. Want the pie without the work? Find delicious local-made pies in Front Royal at Down Home Comfort Bakery. Freshly made with all-natural ingredients, Down Home Comfort Bakery’s baked goods are sure to put a smile on your face and leave your guests asking for more. There’s so much delicious local bounty to enjoy around Front Royal in the summer. Explore the “P’s” of local produce this summer and celebrate all that the great state of Virginia has to offer.
 Farms in Front Royal, VA We live in a world where it’s easy to swing by the grocery store and take your pick from a wide selection of foods shipped from all corners of the world. But some are choosing to limit or completely eliminate their consumption of foods from far off lands, and focus on foods produced closer at hand. The local food movement is growing, and with terms like “locavore” and “farm-to-table” popping up more and more often, you’ve probably heard of it at least once. But maybe you’re wondering what all the buzz is about? We’ve rounded up four reasons you might consider eating more local foods, as well as some great sources for local foods and farm fun in the Front Royal area. With spring well underway, a new season of fresh local produce is beginning, and it’s a great time to explore Front Royal’s local farms. 1. Eating Local Is Better For You  Fresh produce and vegetables It might be hard to believe there’s any difference between eating spinach shipped from Peru versus eating spinach raised on a local farm (or in your own backyard!). But evidence suggests that locally grown food is better for you. It’s fresher, of course, and it’s been shown to contain more nutrients than food shipped over long distances. It only makes sense when you think about it. After all, eating local is part of nature’s design for humans! Most people through history have eaten primarily what could be produced or gathered from nearby, with goods from far off being more of an occasional treat or luxury (if available at all!). 2. Eating Local Improves Food Security  Support local When you eat foods shipped from far away, you’re dependent on a long chain of people and machines all being able to do their jobs. When you eat local, it’s just between you and the farmer. There are many fewer possibilities for disrupting such a short supply chain. 3. Eating Local Supports Your Neighboring Farmers  Farmer's markets Farmers do really important work! After all, food production has to come high on the list of human necessities. But as consumers turn more and more to grocery stores, it’s hard for the small famers to make a go of it. If a small farm can’t support itself by selling locally, the farmer will either quit or get swallowed up by big food corporations and become another link on a supply chain that’s too long! So support your local farmers today so they’ll still be there tomorrow when our world needs them! 4. Eating Local can be Fun and Convenient! Eating local can be lots of fun. There’s something about taking a drive into the country and picking up your food right where it grew that a grocery store just can’t replace. Take it a step further by enjoying a “pick your own” outing, or planning a tour of the farm while you’re there. Don’t have time for a trip to the farm? Many small scale farmers will meet at a designated pick up point or even deliver to your door, so eating local can be even more convenient than a trip to the grocery store!  Eat local Finding Local Food on Front Royal’s Farms If you’re sold on incorporating more local foods into your diet, you’re probably wondering where to find them around Front Royal. If you want to buy directly from the farm, Front Royal has some great options. Check out Valley View Farm for a scenic and historic local farm where you can shop a “locavore farm market,” take a farm tour, and even enjoy a glass of locally produced cider, mead, or wine. Explore their CSA program for an affordable option that will bring a delicious stream of local produce your way all season long. If you’re looking for local grass fed beef, Cottonwood Ranch is a great place to start. Buy individual cuts, or choose the budget friendly options and fill your freezer with a whole, half, or quarter cow!  Clover Hill Farm If you’re looking for more farm fun and pick-your-own options, Green Truck Farm and Hollins Farm are two more amazing local farms. Both are great destinations for fruit picking, starting as early as May. At Hollins Farm, you can come and harvest your own veggies as well as fruit. To buy herb plants right from the farm, go to Sunflower Cottage farm. You’ll bring a little garden home with you. If you’re a lover of all things herbal, plan to attend the Virginia Herb Festival here (May 21-22 2022). Stop by the on-site Backroom Brewery to enjoy a beer from hops grown right there on the farm.  Manor Line Ranch - Browntown, VA Most flowers aren’t edible, but bringing nature’s beauty into your home can feed the soul! For another fun, pick your own adventure, explore Clover Hill Farm, where you can pick your own flowers, as well as sign up for a gardening class. If you’re looking for a weekend of farm life, book a stay at Clover Hill’s Airbnb, and enjoy views of the farm’s Angus beef herd, as well as taking advantage of the flower operation. Finding Local Food in Front Royal’s Stores  The Apple House - Linden, VA Sometimes, you just don’t have time to make it out to the farm for your food. The good news is that you can find farm fresh, local foods in Front Royal without having to head out to the countryside. Main Street’s Manor Line Market is a farm-to-table restaurant, alongside a local food market, all run by farmers from nearby Browntown. It’s a combination you’ll definitely want to check out. The Apple House, on the way out of town, is one of Front Royal’s favorite stops for ice cream, barbecue food, and apple cider donuts. Stop by the gift shop to find a range of Virginia products, raised and made by local farmers and artisans.  Super excited to share that on the first and third Saturdays of April through November, take your search for local foods to DL Community Market! This farmers market in Front Royal is a great place to find and support local farmers, cheesemakers, artisans, and more!  Goat Cheese and more! Take the time to explore Front Royal’s farms this growing season and you’ll find plenty of treasure are waiting for you. With a variety of local, healthy, and delicious food available from beautiful farms of the Shenandoah Valley, you may even find that shopping is as enjoyable as eating! |
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February 2023
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