I am a NC girl, and love the strawberry season. So, when I finished eating and putting up my NC…read morestrawberries from a recent trip to the freezer, I was longing for more. My search brought me to Gorman farm, which is very close to my home. I arrived to the farm to find beautiful expensive berries that were pick that day. I hesitated to buy them, but I was excited. I got them home to find fragile berries underneath the top berries. Quite a few berries had to be thrown out. Whether they were moldy or were home to bugs/slugs. I ended up cutting a lot away from the berries, trying to savage them. I am not sure I will give them another try pre-pick is $4/pint, $8/ quart, or self pick sign said $6/lb. Pretty steep!

If you live near Laurel, Columbia or Savage (or commute up Rte 29 into Howard County), then you…read moreshould buy vegetables at Gorman Produce Farm as soon as you have a free afternoon. You're interested enough to read a Web site about food? Go buy from people growing food in Howard County at the newly-rejuvinated farm between Rte 29 and U.S. 1. (UPDATE: My friend went today, and someone at the farm said they're not open for business yet. Definitely call ahead if you're going to drive a long way.) Lydia and Dave Liker have leased the farm on Gorman Road, and they sell produce just in from the field. This is about a mile south of the Harris Teeter in King's Contrivance. Much of the Liker's produce goes out through their "community supported agriculture" program where people paid $550 for weekly boxes of vegetables from June through October. But you can pick up fresh vegetables by stopping at the farm and buying from the Likers -- or from Dave's father, who helped me buy on Saturday. I saw a new sign for the Gorman Produce Farm on my way to the Savage library. The sign doesn't really say that you can buy vegetables there, but I drove down a gravel road to the signs that say "park here" and "produce here." Inside a building were plastic tubs and boxes full of vegetables -- squash, basil, cabbage, green beans, eggplants, chard, and on and on. I broke out my "emergency" $20 bill, and I bought carrots, kohlrabi, squash and lettuce. They're beautiful and delicious. The vegetables are not certified organic, but the Likers say on their Web site that they grow everything according to organic principles. That works for me because I'm skeptical of government "organic" labels -- just like I'm skeptical about the government labels for "local" produce. Why not believe a farm where you can look around yourself? You can meet the farmers most days until about 6 pm. The CSA pick-up is Thursday, and they say people can pick up until 6 pm. Dave Liker said that the gates on Gorman close when they're closed for the day. His father pointed out that it's a working farm, so there are times when people drive up and the Likers are too busy working to make a sale. Gorman's prices seem about what you pay at the Howard County farmers markets. Tomatoes should ripen in a week or so. Corn is on the way. The fields are just going to deliver more and more through the end of the summer.

This is such a beautiful farm for a family day, day date, or even solo trip to bond with nature,…read morebeautiful sunflowers, or simply being surrounded by the cutest big and little farm animals. We had stopped by for the sunflower festival and it was a beautiful late summer day. There is an option to buy feed for the animals which we took advantage of while we stopped by at the different farm locations. The sunflower field was beautiful and you could pick a bouquet of fliers to go home with. Plus there was an interactive frame for pictures and memories. There is also a play area full of swings for the kids, and there was a slope that older kids and adults could go down on. There was also a food truck with great pulled pork sandwiches and an ice cream stand. Great vibes, great animals, great family fun!

I went there last year. Looking forward to visiting again!…read moreGreat for families and for kids!

I visited Clear Meadow Farm for the first time in my 3-4 years in Baltimore, and I'm glad I checked…read morethem out. Located about 40-45 minutes away from the city, the farm is easy to find (just type in the address on their website). The entry fee is very reasonable at $5 per car, and they also sell some food (i.e. chips, drinks, baked goods, pulled pork sandwiches) as well as sunflowers up front. Food wasn't particularly memorable but not bad, and the sunflowers were quite the deal (only $1 per stem, or 6 for $5). The actual sunflower field was reasonably sized. It was a bit difficult to navigate through the mud, and also a little hard to get good photos unless you go off the trail and into the flower beds (which you're not supposed to do), but the sunflowers were still pretty. Overall very glad I visited. Not sure if I'd necessarily make the trip out again anytime soon, but I definitely recommend it if you have not gone before!

Wonderful property to visit, a little tricky to get to, but a wonderful day. My sunflowers once…read morepicked did not stay perky too long, but I think I did not know how to care for them.

Had a great afternoon visiting for the first time with my dog! There were lots of activities, like…read morewatching farm animals (goats- including baby ones!/kids, cows, bunnies, and chickens), walking to the pumpkin patch, walking around ponds, and enjoying a pizza snack in the picnic area. They also had hay rides but we didn't go because it was a little too sunny for our dog. Everything was free, which was nice! Very free form and you can walk around everything easily. There is also a big farm store in the center with pumpkins, mums, apple cider donuts, pies, jams, etc! The driving is one way so it's easy to get in and out of the farm. The pizza was tasty and ready in 5 min because they precooked the dough. I was hesitant about that technique (never seen pizza dough cooked and stacked like pita bread), but it had a nice crunch and the tomato sauce tasted pure. $23 for credit, $20 for cash. Overall, a nice experience and felt more rustic than more commercial farm places!

Lovely place to take your kids to feed goats or pick a pumpkins from their pumpkin field. You get a…read morenice hay ride as well. Their market is nice and a good selection of items.

If you are looking for a new and calming activity to enjoy, Clarksville Cow Cuddling is it!…read more My party and I visited last month and it was an experience we will remember for a long time. Cori was absolutely amazing and guided us with her warmth and wealth of knowledge. It was raining on our day, but we dressed accordingly for the weather and it was not a problem! Snap was our best cow buddy during our session and we were able to feed, brush, and cuddle him while watching the rain fall peacefully. We learned much about the cows and the other farm animals and felt relaxed + cozy the entire session. As an animal lover, it was so moo-ving to interact with these beautiful cows up close. Fantastic experience!

One of the best experiences! Cori, owner of this business and cows, is the sweetest - she provided…read moreus with education on cow breeds, their habits and safety tips too. The cows were very kind, Cori made sure to tell us how the cows were feeling in order to be safe and enjoy our time with petting/brushing them. She even let us meet the calves and horses! $150 for a 45 minute session with up to 8 people. Great fall or summer activity, therapeutic to the soul and gets everyone laughing. I would suggest close-toed shoes.

Best kabob in dc it's so tasty and fresh every single order I love the fresh pita so special for…read morecatering

A great C.S.A. program for all who like good local produce and supporting a small family-owned…read morefarm. A typical week includes two types of fruit, some sort of leafy green (salad greens in spring, kale and such later on), some sort of potatoes, an additional veggie (like peppers, onions, and/or eggplant), a loaf of bread and a dozen eggs. My girlfriend and I take one share, designed for a family of four, and we eat well all summer and fall and are able to save a significant amount for winter. They're usually open every Saturday with extra foods and meats for sale. Lastly, even though this is a family operation, they are always quick to credit their "workshares" - members who work picking and/or packing produce in exchange for reduced rates on their CSA. A local business worth supporting.

Butler's is our family favorite. It is only about a 35 minutes drive from DC and you are out in…read morethe "farm". Great family fun to bring the kids. Over the years, we've done apple, strawberry, and blueberry picking here, but the fall pumpkin festival is the best. There are tons of activities for the little ones - hayrides, a corn maze, farm animals, and more. Tubby's BBQ is on-site if you need lunch. The line can be long, but it moves quickly. It is on the pricier side, but well worth it. The farm is beautiful, the experience is fun, and it's a wonderful way to get the kids outdoors.

My friends and I had a beautiful triple date during their fair. This place is great for dates,…read morefamilies, friends, and has lots of fun activities for kids. Although the Apple selections were few, we did gather some pink lady apples, which were a huge hit! Sadly, the Gala apples were not doing well this season so we didn't get to pick any of those. They have a great place to order some fresh cider and yummy apple cider donuts. Food is also sold there and I heard that it's delicious. Note that the entry fee does not cover your cost to pick apples so prepare to spend around $60 total. Overall, this place was great and I cannot wait to return!