Butler’s Orchard to Host Final Bonfire of the Year

Bonfire begins after 5 p.m. Friday, assistant farm manager Tyler Butler said.

It might not be too late to get a tree, but time’s running out if your tree shopping must include a warm bonfire. Butler’s Orchard in Germantown is hosting its final bonfire of the year on Friday. There will be plenty of marshmallows to go around, according to Tyler Butler, assistant farm manager. Butler said while it wasn't the first time the orchard has had bonfires, it was the first time they've offered up marshmallows. He said he hopes it becomes a new tradition and attracts people to the orchard on a Friday night.  “We get so busy on weekends,” Butler said. “But some people say it’s the only time they can get out to the farm.” On Friday, the orchard will be open until 9:30 p.m. The bonfire begins after 5. More details are available on…

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Christmas Chopping: Germantown Farm Lets You Cut Your Own Tree

Searching for the perfect tree? Butler's Orchard lets customers pick—and chop down—their favorite.

Amanda Perez | Capital News Sevice

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Butler’s Apple Orchard Opens After Landowner Dispute Delay

"We don't anticipate any other issues with the apples," says Susan Butler, of Butler’s Orchard.

Delayed by a landowner dispute, apple-picking season has officially begun at Butler’s Orchard. Butler's opened its apple orchard Saturday for pick-your-own gala apples, Susan Butler confirmed. The family farm announced the news to its 462 Twitter followers during the weekend. Apple season was supposed to begin Aug. 21 but was suspended due to a dispute between the family farm's operators and the person who actually owns the land, Patch has reported. The Butler family would not comment on the nature of the dispute. Susan Butler said the current lease needed to be "renegotiated." Her brother, the late Todd Butler, had owned apple orchard's four acres of land. He passed away in 2010. “Everything's all been settled,” Susan Butler said. “…

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1 Meat, 3 Sides: Berries, Brews and Burmese Food

This week: berry-picking picks, Takoma brews and new directions for restaurants in Rockville and Silver Spring.

  Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, summer berries take center plate: One Meat: The Washingtonian Magazine's berry-picking guide is out. Thanks to the hot spring and summer, the blueberry and blackberry seasons are already underway, "so act now or spend the next year as a fruit philistine, munching on lowly store-bought berries," Travis M. Andrews advised. Andrews' picks for berry-picking in Maryland include:  Three Sides: The area's newest brewery—3 Stars Brewing in the Takoma, Washington, DC, neighborhood—is about a month away from having its beers on-tap in area bars, The Washington Post reported. "The opening lineup includes the Belgian-…

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Warm Winter Snookers Berries Into Early Season

The time has almost passed for fresh-picked strawberries, Butler's Orchard tells WMAL.

Welcome to Bunnyland

Scenes from the 17th annual Bunnyland at Butler's Orchard. The kid-friendly event continues Saturdays and Sundays through April 15. Bunnyland is closed on Easter Sunday, April 8.

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31st Annual Pumpkin Festival

Every Saturday and Sunday in October at Butler's Orchard.

What's in Your Apple?

Buying your apples locally - and in season - reduces your risk of exposure to pesticides.

You might have heard the news last summer: Conventionally grown apples topped the list of the most contaminated produce in America, according to the watchdog Environmental Working Group's 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce.  Celery, strawberries, peaches and spinach rounded out the top five. I asked my friend, Germantown locavore Katie McCormick, what she thought about the news. Would she still eat apples or had she given them up entirely?  "We do still eat apples," McCormick said. "We love apples in our house." As a locavore, McCormick prefers locally grown apples.  But, she said, "If we're buying grocery store apples off-season, we only buy organic." If you want to reduce your risk of exposure to pesticides, McCormick's …

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Weekend Roundup

A summary of the weekend's events for November 19-21, 2010.

It's the last weekend before Thanksgiving ushers in the holiday rush.  Take time to enjoy yourself at one of these fun local events. Start your weekend with the Friday night performance of "Our Town" at Seneca Valley High School.  The curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m., with a repeat performance on Saturday.  You can also see the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Harvey" at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn in the Kentlands.  This weekend closes the show, with performances on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.  Tickets are $15 ($13 for City of Gaithersburg residents).  Would you rather watch youth football?  Head to Rockburn Park Field #6 in Elkridge, Maryland to see the Germantown Panthers 10-12 National Team fight for the title …

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Green Living in Germantown

It's Not Too Late to Green Your Halloween

Try these ten tips for an eco-friendly holiday.

It's Halloween and you're thinking green.   You've already repurposed last year's Halloween costume.  You've decided not to go overboard on candy this year.  What else can you do?  Choose your pumpkin wisely.  If you're planning that last minute pumpkin purchase, pick one that was grown locally, preferably straight from the vine.  "Go for one that has a good heavy feel for its size and sounds sturdy when thumped on," said Katie McCormick, a Germantown resident committed to eating locally-grown food.  "You do not want it to sound hollow." At the grocery store, select the smaller, tastier "pie pumpkins" in the produce section over the larger pumpkins displayed outside.  Keep your pumpkin cool and dry.  Bring it inside when frost is predicted…

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Julie Bloss Kelsey

11:40 pm on Thursday, December 9, 2010

Thanks, Maria. I agree about Butler's. I need to go back next spring and try picking strawberries.   more ›