MoCo Farm Tour & Harvest Sale

Montgomery County Farm Tour & Harvest Sale

Once a year, the working farms of Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve open their gates to visitors, and it's one of the easiest farm days you can do with kids in the DMV. On July 25 and 26, 26 farms are participating, and admission is free. The tour is self-guided: you pick a farm or two off the list, drive out, and let the kids loose on hayrides, pony rides, goat milking, and butter churning. Several farms run markets with sweet corn, peaches, cut flowers, and farm-raised meat, so bring a cooler.

A word of realism from someone who has done farm days with small children: do not try to visit six farms. Pick two, maybe three if they're close together, and call it a win. Each farm sets its own hours and activities, so check the county's Farm Tour page before you go. Some activities like pony rides carry a small fee even though getting in is free.

Parent Tips 💡

• ✓Pick two or three farms, not ten. Distances between farms are longer than they look on the map, and kids burn out after the second hayride anyway.
• ✓Go in the morning. Late July in Maryland is hot. The animals are livelier before noon and so are your kids.
• ✓Bring a cooler and cash. The harvest sale part is real: sweet corn, peaches, eggs, flowers. Some farm stands are cash-only.
• ✓Closed-toe shoes for everyone. These are working farms with mud, gravel, and the occasional surprise underfoot. Leave the sandals home.
• ✓Check bathroom situations ahead. Most farms have porta-potties, but not all. The county’s farm list notes amenities for each stop.
• ✓Download the digital passport. The Adventure Planner app lets kids collect check-ins at each farm, which is surprisingly motivating for the 6-and-up crowd.