I believe it is important to support local Virginia businesses. Finding ones that offer activities perfect for my whole family makes it easy! We visited Hartland Orchard while my mom was in town. It was the perfect place for a daytime getaway.
HARTLAND ORCHARD, MARKHAM, VA
WHAT THEY OFFER
Hartland Orchard is conveniently located right off of I-66 in Markham. It offers year-round pick-your-own options, fall activities and Christmas trees. A little history on the Orchard and their offerings can be found HERE.
Our visit focused on the current crop of Granny Smith apples. There was no admission fee. The trees had plenty to offer and the price of the apples was absolutely reasonable. ($15/half bushel). Come prepared, they only take cash/check.
MORE SUPPORT LOCAL VIRGINIA NEARBY
If you want to pack in a few more activities, there were several wineries on the same exit or nearby. They all close around 5 or 6pm, so plan accordingly. We were disappointed that we did not and arrived too late to check any of them out this time. A few of them include: Naked Mountain Winery, Winding Road Cellers, and Philip Carter Winery. You could also really stick to the apple theme with Cobbler Mountain Cider in Delaplane.
The orchard is also conveniently located near Sky Meadows State Park which offers 22 miles of hiking trails, unique activities that focus on the farming techniques that create the landscape of the area, access to the Appalachian Trail and much more.
SUMMING UP OUR VISIT
I love being able to combine the ability to support local Virginia businesses with creating delicious recipes in my kitchen. With the applies I got from Markham, I was able to create 3 large apple crisps for myself and the neighbors. By the way, I think I am going to move the trend from making houses smell like chocolate cookies to instead making them smell like cooking apple crisp. YuM.
Overall, our visit to the Markham Apple Orchard was delightful. I definitely believe the Orchard has plenty to offer and the fact that they do not charge an admission fee is even better! I look forward to visiting them again in the future.
If you know somewhere I can support local Virginia, let me know your favorite places! I love exploring the area. And please reach out for all of your real estate needs as well 🙂
