New Workshops for 2026

 Christmas is over. Holiday decorations will be coming down. We will be looking for some fun projects this winter. Several garden clubs will be visiting us to learn about houseplants, kusamona, kokedama, bonsai, and other related topics. We will have workshops on Winter Sowing of Native Plants, given by our friends, The Wild Ones of Greater Baltimore. Our own staff will be hosting numerous plant workshops. Join the fun! If your group would like to have a seminar at Valley View this winter (January-March), let us know. 

January 3, 9 am                        Welcome to the World of Bonsai 

January 10, 10am-12pm          Native Plants Winter Sowing Workshop

January 17, 11 am                   Plant a Pot of Succulents Workshop

January 24, 11 am                   Terrarium Workshop                

January 31, 11am                    Kusamono Garden Workshop

February 4, 10 am                  Supporting Monstera and other Climbers

February 7, 9 am                    Bonsai  Care and Feeding

February 7, 9 am                     Terrarium for Winter or Valentine's Day

February 7, 11 am                   Repotting Orchids Workshop

February 11, 10 am                 Create a Living Gift for your Valentine

February 14, 9 am                   Air Plants and Epiphytic Plants Workshop

February 14, 11 am                 Kokedama Workshop

February 21, 9 am                  Starting Vegetable Seed Transplants

February 21, 11 am                Native Plants for the Birds

February 28, 9 am                 Tree planting and Care

February 28, 11 am               Growing Fruit Trees and Berries

Look for more information, including costs of various projects, on our website, www.valleyviewfarms.com

Holiday Traditions Includes a Stop in our Christmas Shop

 Why would anyone choose to work at a retail job during the holiday rush? Speaking for many of my coworkers, the special bonds formed when family and friends shop together or pick out their special ornaments can make our days. Here is a glimpse into the lives of a few families, friends, and individuals enjoying themselves. 

What a cutie!

The kids love the plush animals

Santa and the ladies

Keeping it fun!

Looking good, ladies

It takes a village (in front of our village display)

I made my brother's family pose for the camera

Generations of Ravens fans

Beautiful trio

Perfect seat to view the Christmas Shop

Choosing the perfect Christmas tree

" I like this ornament."

Love the Christmas outfits!

Four-legged family member

Great weather for tree shopping

Smiling on their way out 

Great family photo

Enjoying their time together

Something for everyone

1st Christmas memories

Modeling our poinsettias!

In front of last year's Grinch in our greens area

She might be looking at the ballerina ornaments

Everybody smile!

The little ones stare at the thousands of lights in the ceiling. 

Thank you to everyone who has made a stop at Valley View Farms a family tradition! We do it for the smiles on our guests' faces. Visit us this holiday season. We are open 8 am-7 pm daily. 

 What Magic Awaits…

Santa welcomes us to our International Christmas Shop

In my opinion, the International Christmas Shop looks better than it ever has! It’s always a little bittersweet moving from the greenhouse to the building; the loss of all the sunshine and working with the herbs is expected, and yet still I’m sad to see my herb section get smaller and smaller.

Now I’m in the International Shop and WOW! I’m so proud of the work that has been put into the room. We are still working on some of the finer details of our displays, but getting the room set up in only 2 weeks is a record for Liz and me. I’m sure you will see the difference when you come in!

We have an incredible selection from Jim Shore

We carry gifts, decorations, and ornaments from Estonia, Sweden, Italy, Vietnam, the Philippines, Kenya, India, Lithuania, 

Lithuania houses

Bangladesh, Haiti, Poland, Egypt, 

Egyptian Giraffe

China, Russia, Indonesia,

Indonesian duck

Germany, Uzbekistan, the UK, Turkey, the Holy Land, and the USA. 

Green Tree Jewelry Made in the USA

 This year, we have more countries represented than we have had in a long time!

I think my favorite section is the Holiday Table, but I’m a total foodie!

Lots of food items in front of German nutcrackers, smokers, cuckoo clocks, Polish ornaments, and so much more. 

Liz and I have picked out just a few of our favorite items to share with you; come in and share your favorite items with us!

Jen, our herb and seed buyer, is also our International Christmas Shop manager. Stop in and say hi to her and her partner in crime, Liz. 

 

Pumpkins

Pumpkins! From the tiniest baby gourd to this year's 1852 lb. behemoth, named My Man Mason, pumpkins are an important part of Valley View Farm's history. 

Bill Foard and son Andy were the original pumpkin hunters

Way back in the seventies, when I was helping out at the cash registers, we were selling "all you could carry" pumpkins for $1. Talk about entertaining; watching families load up stacks of pumpkins into Dad's arms was hysterical. Watching him walk to the registers carrying all that weight was even funnier. Years later, we stopped the practice after the price had risen to $14.99 an armload. Was it the broken, smashed pumpkins all around the store that finally taught us to price them individually?

The seventies also brought school buses full of young students coming out to one of our planted fields, now the home to Hunt Valley Town Center, to pick out their very own pumpkin. Their next stop was Valley View Farms to get a fresh cup of apple cider. 

Gordon Thomson 1989 World Record 755-pound Pumpkin

In 1989, we had a 755-pound pumpkin, grown in Quebec by Gordon Thomson, on display through October, which was then the largest pumpkin ever grown. As we do now, we cut open the giant orb, counted the seeds, and offered a prize to the person who had guessed the correct (or closest) number of seeds. We then cleaned the seeds off and sent them back to Thomson to try growing another giant pumpkin.  

Ian and Stu Paton

This year, the world's largest pumpkin was grown by twin brothers in England, weighing in at 2819 lbs.

Laurie and Tom Tasselmyer with Pumpkin Hunters Andy Foard and Matt Stromberger

Andy, a few years back, Jeff M in the background

 Our own, My Man Mason, is 1852 lbs, huge by any standard. We have asked Tom Tasslemyer to count the seeds on Saturday, November 1, at noon. This is usually a family affair for Tom; Laurie, all four sons, and their wives may be here to help. We will send the seeds back to the grower as usual. The pumpkin remains will go to The Whispering Rise sanctuary, where rescued pigs will dine on the finest of foods. 

A few years ago

2025 Tasslemyers with Andy and Tim


It's your turn to guess the number of seeds in this year's giant pumpkin, My Man Mason. Guesses must be in the book on the podium next to the pumpkin by noon on November 1