Fall Haul: Farm Markets & Stands for Fall Goodies in WashCo

Let’s start off with a hidden gem that deserves some serious recognition: Shilling Hill Farm. Located just west of Houston on 519, this little farm stand is serving up delicious homemade eats. With over 100 rave Google reviews, the spot’s most famous offering is undoubtedly its huge sandwiches stacked with uber-fresh local ingredients, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the pepperoni roll, which is also mentioned a fair few times by happy customers.

But since this is a blog about fall goodies, we have to talk about the pies. While the flavors of pies offered at Shilling Hill Farm are rotating, we expect that fall will bring the farm’s famous Dutch Apple pie around for the season. While you’re there, you might as well try the highly-recommended cannoli, gourmet cookies and fruit cobblers.

Photo credit: Shilling Hill Farm

Having recently located from its former location at the Washington Crown Center, Duda’s Farm Stand is now offering up tons of fresh, seasonal produce at Tanger Outlets. While famous for its summer sweet corn, the farm stand will soon be transitioning to fall crops like pumpkins, squash, apples and more.

Tucked away in Fredericktown is Harden Family Farm and Market, a family-owned farm with homemade products that are about as fresh as it gets. While this little farm market is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, people still flock to Harden Family Farm in the fall for pumpkins, apples, fresh apple cider, honey, canned goods and more.  

Photo credit: Harden Family Farm & Market

It wouldn’t be a list of farms to grab some fall eats and goodies at if we didn’t mention the SpringHouse in Eighty Four. The SpringHouse is famous not just in Washington County, but all across the wider western Pennsylvania region for its wide array of homestyle foods, as well as its daily buffet with a rotating menu.

While the SpringHouse’s lunch and dinner eats are exceptional and not to be skipped, the farm’s baked goods are what we especially want to highlight in this blog about fall goodies. The pies are hand-crimped, come baked between a homemade crust and are filled to the brim with fresh fruit and other delightful fillings. If pie’s not your thing during the season, the cookies, cupcakes, and other baked goods are just as good. If you really want an insider tip: You absolutely cannot leave the SpringHouse’s annual Fall Fun on the Farm Festival without a healthy tray of the farm’s apple cider donuts.

Photo credit: The SpringHouse

Even though summer is coming to a close, things are “picking” up at Simmons Farm in McMurray as apple picking season starts up. You can either go out and pick your own in the farm’s expansive and scenic orchard or pick up a bushel in the farm’s market. In addition to apples, fall brings tons of pumpkins, squash, fresh apple cider, and more, plus homemade pies, honey, and canned goods. If you get there early enough in the season, you still may be able to catch some late summer produce like tomatoes, corn and peaches before the farm kicks into full Fall Festival season.

Photo credit: Simmons Farm

This 100+ year old farm's famous Fall Festival typically runs from late September through late October, but regardless if you're planning on attending the fall festival or not, let us tell you to make sure not to skip the farm market at Trax Farms in Finleyville. The attached market is huge, filled to the brim with fresh local produce and canned goods and even features an in-house deli, bakery (the pies and butter cookies are particularly good) and winery. If you're looking for any place to try apple cider, Trax Farms is the place, as their apple cider is famous county-wide. During the Fall Festival, you can even get your cider as a slushy. 

Photo credit: Trax Farms