More than just that creepy holiday on the 31st, October is about the fall season. It's about walking through colorful fallen leaves, putting on that jacket for the first time, taking bumpy hayrides, getting lost in a corn maze, sipping apple cider and, of course, picking that perfect pumpkin.
Through October (and beyond), celebrate the season by visiting an array of area pumpkin patches and farms. Below is just a sampling. Get picking!
Baltimore County
Albright Farms Produce, 3505 Sweet Air Road, Phoenix. Find pumpkins, produce, plants, greens and hay, through October. Hours are 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays. Free. Call 410-666-1116.
Huber's Produce Farm, 11898 Philadelphia Road, Bradshaw. Pick your own pumpkins and produce and take haunted hayrides around the farm. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through November and weekends in December. Free. Call 410-679-1941.
North Run Farm, 1701 Greenspring Valley Road, Stevenson. Visit the pick-your-own-pumpkin patch, walk through the five-acre corn maze, take hayrides, see the farm zoo. Hours are 2 p.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to dark weekends. $5-$7; free for ages under 4. Call 410-241-3392.
Weber's Cider Mill Farm, 2526 Proctor Lane, Parkville. Walk through a display of painted and decorated pumpkins, make a scarecrow and explore the minimaze. Hours are 9 a.m.-8 p.m. daily through Oct. 30; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Oct. 31 through November. Free. Call 410-668-4488.
Carroll County
Baugher's Farm Orchard Market, 1236 Baugher Road, Westminster. Pick pumpkins and purchase fruits, vegetables, baked goods, apple cider, apple butter and more. Sample homemade ice cream, visit the petting zoo and take hayrides. Hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Free. Call 410-857-0111.
Frederick County
Summers Farm, 5614 Butterfly Lane, Frederick. Visit Pumpkinland, see farm animals, run through the corn maze, coast down the giant slides, see a Native American tepee. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends through October. Free. Call 301-620-9316.
Harford County
Belvedere Farm, 2840 Pleasantville Road, Fallston. Take hayrides, pick pumpkins and apples and try the cider. Also, kids can venture through a maze, through October. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends. Free. Call 410-877-9448.
Jones Produce Farm, 2107 Philadelphia Road, Edgewood. Choose your own pumpkin, pick other vegetables and fruit and find an array of plants and flowers. Hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays, through November. Free. Call 410-676-3709.
