A recently discovered alternative to the indoors, going "outside" offers adventurous explorers exposure to things such as wind, sunshine, and the naturally occurring mazes found in corn fields. Leave the indoors with today's Groupon: for $7, you get $15 worth of pumpkins and produce at Hollin Farms in Delaplane near Sky Meadows State Park. The Pumpkin Patch opens Friday, October 1 and will be open Wednesday through Sunday throughout October from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Patch will remain open on Columbus Day (Monday, October 11) to celebrate the man who accidentally discovered gourds. This Groupon expires on October 31, 2010.

The pumpkin patch at Hollin Farms contains ten acres of fresh-grown, highly pickable pumpkins. Adopt a lonely uncarved jack-o'-lantern ($.50 a pound), or invite a pie-worthy pumpkin to holiday dinner ($.70 a pound). Fall greens such as turnips, mustard greens, kale, bok choy, radishes, and lettuce ($2 a pound) complement autumn crops of yellow gourds and juicy red apples; pick an unpickled peck for $8 (roughly 32 apples). A lifetime of penciled practice on the backs of cereal boxes couldn't even prepare visitors for the five-acre amazing maze of maize, a free corn labyrinth housed on the premises. For a preview of what to expect around the farm, check out this moving-picture preview.

Hollin Farms is a massive, family-owned working farm high on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Cows, chickens, and goats patrol the fields in rotating shifts. From the pumpkin patch, you'll be treated to breathtaking views of the Crooked Run Valley and surrounding vineyards. Be sure to dress comfortably in long pants and sturdy shoes—wheat-woven overalls and straw pitchforks optional.

This Groupon can be used towards the purchase of beef (but not pork); however, the smallest unit available for purchase is a quarter, or roughly 80 pounds, at approximately $4.45 per pound.

Reviews

My Fox DC featured Hollin Farms in a segment about picking peaches. The Fauqiuer Times-Democrat mentioned Hollin Farms. The Washingtonian mentioned the farms in its “Midsummer Guide to Berry Picking in Virginia and Maryland.”