Dozens of farm stops in Loudoun County will showcase their experiences and products, from goats and donkeys to flowers and bee hive tours.
Patch Staff
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Visitors can meet cute farm animals, see a bee farm in action, pick flowers and try locally-made ice cream, all in one weekend.
The Loudoun Spring Farm Tour on May 17 and 18 provides a glimpse into the county's rural businesses, with hands-on activities, demonstrations and more. There will be 36 farms participating as tour stops from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, according to Loudoun Economic Development.
"The Spring Farm Tour is an incredible way to celebrate and support the people who work so hard to put food on our tables," said Buddy Rizer, executive director of Loudoun Economic Development. "Every year, I look forward to visiting the farms, talking with our farmers, and seeing families experience the beauty and bounty of rural Loudoun."
This year, farm tour visitors may vote for their favorite farm stop for a chance to win a Western Loudoun VIP package with meals, tours, and beverage tastings from local businesses.
Participating farms and their highlights are:
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1. Abernethy & Spencer Greenhouse (Purcellville): Explore the property after the new owners updated the historic property and greenhouses.
2. Agape Family Farm (Lovettsville): Enjoy cuddle sessions with baby goats for a small fee. There will also be a free educational session on farm life and caring for goats. Handcrafted soap is available to purchase.
3. Aurora Apiary (Aldie): This apiary has 25-plus hives on site. Buy local honey and honey products and check out the busy hives. Visitors can put on a bee suit and tour the apiary for a fee.
4. Ayrshire Farm (Upperville): Named Virginia's first certified humane and organic farm, Ayrshire Farm will allow visitors to see its Scottish Highland, Ancient White Park, and English Longhorn cattle, Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs and Shire draft horses. Visitors can meet farmers and enjoy a farm-to-table meal at Hunter's Head Tavern featuring the farm's meats.
5. Blooming Hill Lavender Farm & Gift Shop (Purcellville): This lavender farm boasts 100 varieties and will offer visitors lavender-infused cream tea in the garden. Learn about making spring floral arrangements in a workshop for a fee, tour the gardens and learn about growing lavender.
6. Brookfield Dairy Farm (Leesburg): Tour the historic barns, equipment, and milking house while learning about how the dairy farm works. Children can participate in activities like cow and calf interactions, a dairy bowl quiz, coloring and more. The ice cream trailer will have local creamery ice cream, including the "Now Now Brown Cow" flavor.
7. Bully Goat Farm (Lovettsville): This goat therapy farm offers goat snuggles and yoga.
8. Butterfly Hill Farm Store (Waterford): This country store has alpacas and live demonstrations of yarn spinning and weaving. Visitors can shop for locally produced alpaca gifts.
9. Cannabreeze Hemp Farm & Company (Lovettsville): This CBD hemp farm offers a two-hour tour to show how hemp products are made and samplings of infused products.
10. Donkey Meadows Safe Haven (Purcellville): Get up close with donkeys while learning about this endangered breed and what they've contributed to the farm and American agricultural history.
11. Double 8 Alpaca & Llama Ranch (Lovettsville): This alpaca and llama breeding farm is offering livestock and fiber sales, a free fiber craft for youth and paid needle felting fiber craft. Book your spot at http://tiny.cc/y7ob001. Visitors are asked to leave dogs at home.
12. Equine Rescue League (Lovettsville): One of the nation's oldest horse rescues will let visitors meet horses, ponies donkeys and mules. Baked goods for sale, raffle prizes, a huge tack and yard sale will be offered. Entrance is free, but donations are welcome.
13. Faith Like a Mustard Seed Farm (Leesburg): Meet baby lambs, goats and chicks, and see milking demonstrations (once per day) while learning about farming practices. There will be a make-a-wreath workshop to put on the miniature horses for pictures. Goat meat will be available for sale.
14. Far Bungalow Farm (Leesburg): At this flower farm, enjoy a guided tour, flower growing Q&A and stem bar to build your own spring bouquet.
15. Farm de Vine Winery (Purcellville): Learn about how wines are grown and made and take a guided vineyard tour from 10 a.m. to noon. Guests 21 and older can sample handcrafted wines in the tasting room. Self-guided tours with signs are available all day. The farm store offers wines, local cheeses and artisan goods.
16. Fireside Farm (Lovettsville): Visitors will enjoy vegetables, pizzas and drinks for sale plus a short talking tour to learn about the farm.
17. Gathering Springs Farm (Middleburg): Take a guided tour led by the farmers at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. both days. Meet lambs born at the farm and the laying hens. A handmade pottery activity is available for $15 per person.
18. Georges Mill Farm Artisan Cheese (Lovettsville): This goat dairy farm makes cheeses, gelato, fudge, caramel and soap. Meet the goats and livestock dogs, see where the cheese is made, and sample the products.
19. Green Hills Garden & Nursery (Lovettsville): Green tea plants are grown on this farm. Explore the tea fields and learn how to grow and make tea. Loose leaf tea is sold online at greenhillstea.com and at Dominion Tea Co in Purcellville.
20. Henway Cider Barn (Bluemont): Watch apples be pressed using the vintage hand-cranked press and taste fresh apple cider or a seasonal hard cider at Henway Cider Barn.
21. Hope Flower Farm & Winery (Waterford): Hope Flower Farm will host its Peony Days, with cut your own peonies, live music, food trucks and more.
22. Kathy Ann's Farm (Waterford): This farm makes wool products from Shetland Sheep, Angora goats and more and hand dyes yarns and rovings. They also grow flowers and herbs for hand-crafted potpourri and herbal products. Visit spring lambs, try the loom, learn how to felt a hat, wander through the gardens and visit the new tree house with a birds eye view of the farm.
23. Long Stone Farm (Lovettsville): Visit pet bunnies and learn about multi-species grazing to product clean meat. Shop pasture-raised non-gmo beef, pork, chicken, lamb and eggs, and adults can try the small-batch cider and wine.
24. Northern Virginia Wholesale Growers (Paeonian Springs): Tour the greenhouses and outdoor gardens while shopping for annuals, perennials, bedding plants, herbs and veggies.
25. Old Apple Valley Farms (Round Hill): Enjoy a presentation about honey bees, try honey from the hive and buy honey by the pound. This farm will also have seedlings, perennial flowers and miscellaneous plants for sale by cash or check.
26. Orac Farms at Village Winery and Orchards (Waterford): Tour the farm and enjoy a range of elderberry and honeyberry products, fresh eggs and apple wine.
27. Planetary Farms (Purcellville): This nursery grows fruit trees, nut trees and other edible and medicinal plants. Visit the food forests and geothermal greenhouses to learn about the different plants that can grow here.
28. Spring House Farm (Hamilton): Visit the farm store to buy pasture-raised meats, including small-batch sausages. Meet the farmers, see the animals and learn about what makes the farm's sustainable, local food special.
29. Temple Hall Farm Regional Park (Leesburg): At this working farm, meet heritage breed farm animals and learn how the farm works. Kids can enjoy jumping pillows and hill slides, and visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic.
30. Three Bags Wool Farm (Purcellville): Visit the Icelandic sheep, which are the sheep of the Vikings, and learn about how versatile their wool is. The farm also has rabbits, chickens, ducks, peacocks, donkeys and an enormous goat.
31. Three Cap Farms (Leesburg): This farm makes various kinds of gourmet, boutique mushrooms. Tour the indoor growing room and learn ways to make the highest quality mushrooms.
32. Two Twisted Posts Winery (Purcellville): This winery will offer insights into the business and tours of the grounds with details on the winemaking process.
33. Wegmeyer Farms (Hamilton): It's strawberry season at this farm, which grows them with a raised bed growing system. Reservations are required to pick strawberries, but visitors can also buy baked goods and look at the fields to see how strawberries grow.
34. Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery (Waterford): This estate brewery grows grain for its beer. Tours about farming and the farm's history will be offered at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Visitors should check in at the taproom for tours. There is a playground for children. Pizzeria Loco Pizza will be onsite at noon, and live music starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Boxcar Burgers will be on site Sunday.
35. Zephaniah/Mill Road Farm (Leesburg): These farms operate on the original Hatch family farm, offering a chance to enjoy food and wine produced entirely on site. At the farm tour, enjoy a hyperlocal meal on the farm with beef and wine all grown on the farm, talk to the producers, and see the livestock and grapevines.
36. Farrah's Farm (Round Hill): Iranian immigrant Farinoush Jewell's farm focuses on garlic, inspired by her Persian childhood. The farm grows eight varieties. Visitors can see over two acres of garlic and cut their own garlic scrapes.
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