The Best Places To Pick A Pumpkin in NoVA

Growing pumpkins is a long and labor-intensive process. Sometimes it can be successful, and other times it can end in heartbreak. Once in a while, an attempt to grow a good old-fashioned pumpkin results in a very strange hybrid vegetable that looks nothing like a pumpkin. 

Fortunately, Northern Virginia has some answers for people looking for the experience of picking a pumpkin. Whether you’re looking for an ideal jack-o-lantern or perhaps a Thanksgiving centerpiece, these farms have everything you need, and perhaps some things that you didn’t think you needed. 

1. DePaul's Urban Farm

This little farmer’s market/farm is nestled away on Chain Bridge Road, just waiting to be found. DePaul’s Urban Farm offers little plants, pots, and an assortment of other goodies like apple cider, apple cider donuts, and firewood, in case you want to start a bonfire in the backyard in the crisp October evenings. 

Wander through and pick a pumpkin with the kids -- and your dog --  to carve. Locals say the farm carries enough pumpkins to give everyone in Vienna at least two apiece. But don’t just stop there for pumpkins. Stock up on herbs and succulents while you’re there. Later in the year, stop by again to see if you can’t find that perfect Christmas tree.

2. Meadows Farm Nurseries

Located on Leesburg Pike in Vienna, Meadows Farm Nurseries typically greets passers-by during the fall with inflated pumpkins and witches. The nursery offers a selection of fall plants like chrysanthemums and pansies, but also has the all-important October product, the pumpkin. Typically during the fall, the nursery also puts on a Fall Festival for the children, but there won’t be one this year due to COVID-19.

However, don’t let that stop you from checking it out. Check out their vast collections of seeds to prepare your garden for the fall and the winter. Houseplants abound in their indoor facility as well. Look for ferns, cacti, and succulents to help brighten your house in the colder months.

 3. Reston Farm Garden Market

The Reston Farm Garden Market hosts an annual Fall Fest which will continue as scheduled this year. Kids can bounce on the moon bounces, play with farm animals, take a train ride, and get their faces painted. Located on Baron Cameron, (just across from Hunter Mill Road) the Reston Farm Garden Market offers a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables (and sometimes fresh-baked pies). While the kids play, parents can look around and find all the fall treats they want, including jams, apple butter, and the delectable bacon ketchup. 

The market also offers honey, baked goods, fresh made apple cider donuts, and something we haven’t tried but is on our list: the Route 7 Traffic Jam. With offerings such as these, its a crime you haven’t been there yet. 

Don’t forget pumpkins! Stock up on all the pumpkins your heart desires, while you contemplate getting a balloon animal.

 4. Krop's Crops

If your family gets excited at the thought of a tractor ride during the month of October, then look no further. Krop’s Crops, located in Great Falls, offers a cornucopia of fall activities and goodies. Grab precisely 16 quarters ($4) and go for a ride on a tractor to the pumpkin patch. Or if you like poking around for antiques and unique home decorations, check out the Krop’s Crops new Antique, Vintage, Shabby Chic Center, where furniture and refurbished pieces are sold. 

Support the arts by purchasing one of the handcrafted decorations, made by a local artist. The kids can play with farm animals, get lost in the corn bin, or enjoy some fresh pressed apple cider.

5. Cox Farms

Drive down to Braddock Road in Centerville in order to find Cox Farms, which not only hosts a Fall Festival, but also the unique attraction Fields of Fear. Because of COVID-19, the Fall Festival is closed, but the farm still has many different activities to offer to all ages. 

The drive-through hayride is an open road allowing customers to drive through and look at the scenery from the comfort of their own vehicles. Donuts and apple cider are handed out for those who want it.