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This is what they told us…

1) When did you take up farming and what was your vision?

Todd grew up in a rural town on the North Shore of MA.  As a young child, he spent countless days at his neighbor’s farm sometimes helping with harvests and planting, and getting to interact with the goats, pigs, and geese.  These were fond memories for Todd, so when he was contemplating a career change, he began volunteering on a farm while taking a culinary program in Austin, TX.  He continued to work on farms after he moved back to New England.  He attended the University of Vermont Farmer Training Program for a summer, apprenticed at a large farm in Hamilton, MA, and managed an urban farm in Lowell for a season, before he and Suzy decided to purchase their own farm.

Suzy grew up in the suburbs of NYC, but always dreamed of living on a farm.  She spent her childhood days in New York riding and caring for her horse.  While attending university, Suzy studied animal science but changed paths, after college, and took a job at the zoo in Boston caring for exotic animals.  After working at the zoo, she became an agriculture volunteer in the Peace Corps where she taught the women in her village how to grow a small vegetable garden.  During her experience in the Peace Corps her daily meals included eating fresh cheese, homegrown beans, farm fresh eggs and other local foods.

We were both excited about the idea of having our own farm, growing our own food, and raising our children to appreciate where their food comes from.  We were also excited about the idea of sharing this experience with people who may be curious about life on a farm, but unable to spend more than a couple of days on a farm.

2) How did you come up with the name Fat Sheep Farm?

I wish I had a really good story as to how we came up with the name, but it’s really not that exciting. We wanted something fun and easy to remember. We also knew that we were not going to be a “traditional” farm (which you can easily determine that we are not at all traditional, when you arrive on the farm), so we did not want a “traditional” farm name.

One day my best friend and Todd were brainstorming names and one of them…we still don’t know the truth as to who said it first, but one of them threw out the name Fat Sheep Farm. We did some searching to see if there were any other Fat Sheep Farms in the world, and to our surprise, there was only one very small family farm out in Washington state that has the name (and unfortunately owns the domain name, as well). It didn’t take long before we committed to the name “Fat Sheep Farm”.

3) What are guests allowed to do on your farm?

While staying at Fat Sheep Farm, guests are invited to participate in morning animal chores all year round.  During the summer months, this includes feeding the goats and bringing them to pasture, milking the sheep and bringing them out to pasture, feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs.  During morning chores, guests can have all of their burning questions about farming answered.

All summer long, the sheep are often grazing right in front of the guest cabins.  You can sit in the Adirondack chair on your porch and watch the sheep graze.  Guests are also welcome to walk around the vegetable fields.  The animals return to the barn around 4pm each evening.  Guests enjoy walking through the barn and visiting with the animals in the evenings, as well.

In the spring when the lambs are born, guests can enjoy the opportunity to help socialize the lambs (aka lots of lamb hugs).  We also have a one mile trail through our woods and a half mile walk through our fields.  At night, guests are welcome to come sit around our fire pit and enjoy the sunset and s’mores.

4) I hear you offer workshops?

Once there is a Covid vaccine and travel becomes more normalized, the farm will once again offer cheese making and bread making workshops.

In the Basic Sourdough Bread Making workshop, guests learn the basics of how to work with sourdough and make, shape and bake their own dough for the perfect loaf.  Guests are even given dough to take back to their cabin to bake the following morning and starter to take home.

The Cheese Making workshop focuses on making cheese at home.  Guests are guided through the process of making fresh cheeses, such as Halloumi, Feta and Ricotta, or learn to make an aged cheese, such as Gouda. They are also instructed on how to create their own space for aging cheese at home.

5) With multiple guests on the farm at one time, since you have five cabins, what is that experience like for them?

All of our guests, big or small, are able to enjoy the farm experience at Fat Sheep Farm in their own time and their own way.  Guests usually have different motivations for staying with us. Some guests want to participate in chores once, while some want to join for chores everyday during their stay.  Other guests want to relax on their porch, take in the views, and take day trips to the surrounding area attractions.

We are always happy to help our guests plan their trips before their arrival and make further suggestions of things to do and places to eat while they are at the farm.  We encourage guests to contact us way ahead of time if they are interested in attending a workshop on the farm, so that we can plan accordingly.

6) Why do you offer farm stays?

Why do we offer farm stays…there are so many reasons! Many people have become so disconnected from the land and where the food comes from.  Our farm gives people the opportunity, whether it’s for one night, or annual week long visits, to disconnect from their screens, ask farming questions, snuggle a sheep, taste their first farm fresh egg, prepare a meal using produce from our farm, or learn a new skill like bread making or cheese making.

Whether guests are interested in the farm experience or just want a quiet place to rest their heads, everyone can appreciate the serenity of our farm and the magical views of the Vermont hills that everyone can enjoy from their cabin porch.

Find out more about Fat Sheep Farm at Farm Stay USA. We are happy to know them and to know their story. We hope you are too!

* * *

COVID-19 INFORMATION

• Please be aware of Vermont cross state travel information. Contact Fat Sheep Farm for more information or if you have questions.

• Demand Is High For Independent Units Now — Cancellations Are Posted to Facebook and Instagram — Check our Availability

• Fat Sheep Farm maintains our high standard for cleanliness, including sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces with EPA certified cleaners

• Fat Sheep Farm has Blueair Blue Pure 121 Air Purifiers in every cabin

• We offer a remote check-in and check-out process in order to limit person to person contact

• Enjoy the beauty of Vermont and our farm while easily following all social distancing guidelines

The post Fat Sheep Farm in Hartland, VT Offers Farm Life Up Close and Personal appeared first on Farmstay.

Please enjoy a slide show of photos from around the farm while Scottie and Sarah chat! BBVF is a great destination for families, groups of friends, bachelor or bachelorette parties, and weddings.

Check out their listing here on Farm Stay USA and plan your getaway today!

The post A conversation with Sarah Parker of Blind Buck Valley Farmstead in Salem, New York appeared first on Farmstay.

Taking on a farm as a second career always seems like a good idea from afar, especially if the farm is in North Carolina and you are in New York. Well, maybe that isn’t quite fair. John and Mina Piraino were looking for a slower, more sustainable lifestyle as empty nesters, and the thought of working outside appealed to John, a mechanical engineer by training. Two of their children already lived in Greenville SC, and it felt like everyone in the family was moving south.

Starting a new life as farmers

But, how does one go about finding a farm if you don’t inherit it? The Internet is a pretty good place to start. While the Pirainos first thought to look for land in Pennsylvania or Virginia, it was pricey, and nothing really called to them. Then, in 2017, East Fork Farm, in Marshall, North Carolina, just north of Asheville, came on the market. It was a turn-key operation (if farms are ever really turn-key), set up with both livestock production and farm stay lodging. They could do this. John and Mina bought the farm in July 2017 and moved in January of 2018 to start their new life as farmers.

East Fork Farm is a 40-acre property with 20 acres in pasture. It is highly scenic, set in the middle of the Blue Ridge mountains in western North Carolina, close to the Tennessee border. The Pirainos raise Angus cross cattle, Katahdin sheep, Red Ranger meat birds, egg layers (for egg production), trout (in their trout pond) and sometimes hogs. They also have a grist mill, driven by a waterwheel, for making corn meal. Where it is allowed, they butcher on site; for the larger animals a USDA facility is used. This way, product is sold directly through the on-farm store, online, and at the Asheville Tailgate (seasonal) Market.

Guests can enjoy a farm stay

In 2019 the Pirainos added an apprenticeship program for those interested in learning the ins and outs of farming, but not everyone wants to spend an entire growing season as day labor on a farm. The alternative to apprenticeships? Guests can enjoy a farm stay with the Pirainos, lending a hand or just watching from a distance. Of course, you can also just take in the scenery, go for a hike, or soak in the Japanese Ofuru soaking tub provided with your accommodations.

There are three options for overnight lodging: Meadow Branch cottage, a quaint cedar shake cottage built by the former owners in 2009; East Fork cottage, a former barn refurbished from top to bottom as a rental unit in 2010, and the Millhouse, tucked on the second floor of the fully functioning grist mill. All lodgings were handcrafted and detailed with care, are decorated with farm antiques, and come with a breakfast of complimentary fresh eggs, stone ground cornmeal and jelly from the farm. What’s not to love?

When asked what kind of comments they get from guests, John laughed. While often the beauty and scenery are mentioned, the two very friendly Great Pyrenees dogs, used to protect the livestock, are the favorites. We might have thought the soaking tubs, but then there is nothing like hanging out with large, fluffy white dogs while the sheep and cattle graze peacefully in the fields around you and the wind makes a song in the trees.

Check out the East Fork Farm listing here on Farm Stay USA and find yourself in the middle of the natural world, not such a bad place to be these days!

The post Hidden away in the Blue Ridge Mountains: East Fork Farm, Marshall, North Carolina appeared first on Farmstay.

“Everything we eat has a story. Know what you eat.”
– from the Toddy Pond farm website

The story of Toddy Pond Farm in Monroe, Maine is not one of 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th generation farmers continuing in the family tradition. This is the story of ‘new’ farmers, Greg and Heide Purinton-Brown, who decided food and how it is grown was important to them and something they wanted to pursue. So, in 2014 Greg quit his 9 to 5 desk job and Heide, who had been homeschooling their two sons, switched gears to farming.

Flourishing Pastures

Originally planning to be caretakers of an existing farm in Monroe ME just to get their feet wet, they ended up buying it! Toddy Pond Farm, on the banks of Toddy Pond, is a 520-acre property with 30 acres of pasture used now for their cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, and bees. In just a few years, they were able to improve and provide permanent pasture for their livestock with rotational grazing. They don’t irrigate or fertilize their pastures because this would require the use of large amounts of fossil fuel. They don’t till the soil which would release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. They plant clover for their bees. The pastures are flourishing with grasses up to the bellies of the cows.

Humane Dairy Farming

What is even more impressive about their operation is that the Purinton-Browns decided to enter the dairy business, one of the most challenging areas of farming! If you’re going to go down this risky path these days, you need to have a niche. Coming from a background as a vegetarian and an OB nurse before she became a farmer, Heide had a keen passion to make sure her livestock was treated humanely, and the way nature intended. So, unlike most dairies, the farm keeps calves with their mothers for their strong emotional bond, and the cows are only milked once a day.

Milking once a day had additional benefits these farmers wanted in their finished products. The full-fat Jersey milk, higher in protein and fat than from cows milked twice a day, made for a wonderful tasting yogurt, now the farm’s signature product. Offered in plain and vanilla flavors, the Toddy Pond label can be found not only at their farmers market stand and at their on-farm store, but also in local groceries. Of course, there are other products to find at their on-farm store: packaged meats, from ground lamb to pork sausage, kefir, eggs, honey, and ice cream in season.

An Idyllic Getaway

Does all of this make you want to stay at Toddy Pond Farm to get a better feel of farm life…and how taste is grown and finished? Or maybe just kick back at your own private farm retreat in the middle of 500 acres with cows and sheep grazing off the porch, grab a kayak for the pond or hike the many trails through the woods?

Toddy Pond offers the quintessential week-long farm stay in the summer, when the farm is in top production, and three-day stays for the shoulder seasons. Guests stay in a gorgeous, fully restored 4-bedroom cottage that sleeps 7, has a large kitchen, living room, 2 bathrooms, and screened in porch.  It’s the perfect place for an unplugged vacation.

Check out the Toddy Pond Farm listing here on Farm Stay USA… then book a stay and make your own story!

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David and Caroline Owens bought their first farm in 1992 in Pelham, NH as a place to raise their kids and grow their own food. Caroline was a former vocational agriculture teacher with a degree from Cornell now working for a feed company; David was a biomedical  engineer with a degree from Boston University. Soon enough, friends and neighbors were asking to buy meat from them. They were on the cusp of the local, pasture-raised food movement raising sheep, pigs, cattle, chickens, and turkeys. They jumped all in.

Fast forward to 2006 when the size of the Owens’ operation had outgrown the existing farm infrastructure. Caroline and David began the search for something on the East Coast with more acreage, especially in pasture for their burgeoning sheep business. The search led them to the current 112 acre Owens Farm in Sunbury, PA in 2008, and they have been farming the land there ever since. Located in the beautiful rolling hills of the Susquehanna River Valley, they have found their ‘forever’ farm.

The Owens currently raise sheep, pigs, chickens, and turkeys, selling to local families. No small production, they birth upwards of 175 lambs in March, with piglets in April and October, and chicks brought on farm in April to grow into meat birds. All are heritage breeds raised sustainably on a rotational system through the pastures. To help move the sheep flock, part of which spends the summer controlling vegetation under the solar panels at Susquehanna University, the Owens include border collies in their animal count.

The Owens offer classes in Lambing and Sheep 101 for individuals with or thinking about getting sheep, beekeeping and honey making, and a Sheep Bootcamp for Ag teachers. They also offer tours of their farm for a close-up look at how they raise happy and healthy animals in a natural setting without the use of chemical inputs.

As exhausting as all the above activity sounds, the Owens decided to ‘share’ their farm with overnight guests starting in 2015 because they felt the benefit of 24+ hours on site gave a much clearer picture of farm life from dawn to dusk. They also had loved to travel when their kids were young and often stayed in unconventional lodging or looked for home stays.

A former carriage barn became the ‘farm stay’, and the Owens now host guests from mid-March to November when there are the most hands-on activities (and least amount of mud!). When asked about guests’ reactions to their stay, Caroline mentions her conversations tend towards the seasonality of things – that livestock births happen during the months that most benefit survival and production, not everyday on the farm; that summer is the best (and most prolific) time to eat out of the farm garden; that grass grows fastest in spring and summer so animals are rotated through the pastures to keep it fresh and not overgrazed… also when they send out their band of sheep to keep the solar arrays cleared; like that. Additionally, there is great surprise in the abilities of her working dogs to herd and corral the sheep (probably because Rover at home is not so well behaved or interested in a job!)

This farm might be in PA but it’s right off I-80 with guests arriving from New York City, Baltimore and DC in 2-4 hours. So, if you ever want to throw yourself into the middle of a working operation with 112 acres to roam, and you find yourself in Pennsylvania or had a hankering to go to Pennsylvania, Owens Farm just might fit the bill. Take an unplugged vacation, not because there is no wifi but because your electronics don’t hold a candle to this farm experience!  Retreat to the country and breathe it all in. We can promise you your trip home will be filled with stories of your stay and your camera will be filled with the photos to back it up.

Check out Owens Farm here on Farm Stay USA for more information and to book your stay today!

(All photos courtesy Owens Farm)

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Located halfway between Modesto and Sacramento near the Stanislaus National Forest, Willow Creek Ranch offers a nostalgic trip back in time to grandma’s working farm. Guests can get their hands dirty and pitch in with various chores, like gathering eggs, working in the garden, or pitching hay to cows, or they can opt to just sit back and relax with a book, or go for a swim in the small above-ground pool.

Hosts Cathie and John Orr truly love to share their lifestyle with guests and teach a few things along the way. The farm raises milk cows, so when there’s fresh milk available, there are also opportunities to milk a cow and feed a calf, make butter, and learn how to make your own mozzarella cheese. When there’s produce in the garden, you can learn how to preserve food either by canning or freezing. Every seaon brings unique activities!

The two bedroom cabin accommodates up to eight guests, and John and Cathie also allow camping on their property if you want to bring your own tent. The cabin also features a kitchenette with the necessary dishes and kitchen utensils, so you can choose to cook on your own, or add breakfast and/or dinner to your farm stay experience and enjoy Cathie’s home cooking.

The farm has also recently added a 20×20 foot tent to accommodate large parties!

You can see more of Willow Creek Ranch on America’s Heartland! Click here to watch episode 1109, streaming on the America’s Heartland website.

To learn more about Willow Creek Ranch Farm Stay, visit their listing here on Farm Stay USA, then head over to their website to book next year’s vacation!

The post Travel back to Grandma’s day at Willow Creek Ranch in California appeared first on Farmstay.

I had the pleasure of visiting Airlie Farms Bed and Breakfast and meeting the wonderful hostess Nancy Petterson. When I arrived she invited me in for coffee and one of her delicious homemade pear muffins as she prepared breakfast for her guests. “This has been the most delightful version of going to grandma’s house” one of the guests said as they were finishing up breakfast. I couldn’t agree more, Nancy is a kind, warm and welcoming woman that makes you feel right at home. As the breakfast ended and the guests began packing up their things I prepared for a memorable interview and farm tour with Nancy.

Nancy and her husband Joe purchased the 226 acre farm 23 years ago and have offered their home as a bed and breakfast for a little over eight years. Their remodeled 1910 farm house offers a comfortable and cozy, yet luxury, stay. Their working Quarter Horse farm sits on beautiful rolling hills with spectacular views across some of Oregon’s richest farm country. Nancy takes pride in and has over 60 years’ experience as a quarter horse breeder. She also enjoys gardening and canning fresh produce. Her hope is to start offering bread making or canning classes so guests have something to take home with them.

FARM STAY BED AND BREAKFAST

As I took my shoes off and stepped in the house I was welcomed by the Petterson’s friendly farm dog, Molly, who just wanted to be pet and have her belly rubbed. We were friends for the remainder of my visit.

With single, double, suite and family accommodations available, guests have many options from which to choose. Because the house is more tailored to adults and older children, the Pettersons recently completed the Airlie Family Cottage for families with young children.

Does waking up to grandmas homemade country style breakfast with freshly brewed coffee and your choice of frittata with cheese, potatoes, farm bacon and sausage, spiced peach parfait, scones, and fresh squeezed juice sound exactly how a vacation morning should be? Breakfast is served in the main house for all guests, large and small.

The Airlie Family Cottage is perfect for families with children and has basic cooking accommodations, refrigerator, and a loft that kids love.

Aside from the wonderful accommodations, there are 226 acres to explore and family friendly farm animals abound. From guided rides, lessons in the arena, playing with the goats and chickens, or gathering your own eggs, there is plenty to enjoy and experience right here on the farm.

After the interview, Nancy took me out on the Gator to tour the farm and, of course, Molly had to join us. From one of the goats putting my ear in its mouth as I was taking a photo of another, to Barney the donkey chasing after us for the hay in the back of the Gator, to enjoying the spectacular views from the top of the hill, I’d say I had quite the farm experience during my visit.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

If you decide to wander off the farm there are plenty of local attractions from which to choose. Airlie Farm sits in wine country so take a trip over to one of the vineyards for a bottle of wine and some tastings. Many hunters and judges stay as guests for the nearby Luckiamute Valley Pheasant hunting. Hunters and guests are welcome to bring dogs if they are leashed or in crates. There are also plenty of places to go hiking, fishing, birding, and visit covered bridges. Families with children may find themselves taking a short trip to Salem’s Riverfront Park or A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village to enjoy family-fun activities and a hands-on children’s museum with interactive exhibits.

GUESTS AND THE “GIFT OF HOSPITALITY”

In my short visit to Airlie Farm Bed and Breakfast I was able to appreciate what the guests had to say about their experience and how Nancy interacted with them. I don’t think one guest left without making sure they gave Nancy a hug and thanking her for a wonderful time and an amazing experience.

“You make us feel right at home.”

“She’s a great host.”

“You make people feel comfortable and relaxed.”

“We came downstairs and she’s making breakfast and then we look outside and she’s out driving the tractor (gator) around feeding the horses and animals. Nancy does it all.”

“I think I may move in here.”

“We’re packing up and then I’m giving you a big ol’ hug.”

“We miss you and this place already.”

My last question I asked Nancy was what she enjoyed most about the farm, Bed and Breakfast and living this lifestyle. She responded with “Well, I love it all. I thought the quarter horse business was my entire life until I went off with the B and B. I thought, why didn’t I start this out when I was 30, instead of 200. It’s wonderful. I love my horses, but I can’t be out there as much. Every guest is special.”

It was a great pleasure meeting Nancy, touring the farm and meeting the farm animals. Nancy truly has the “gift of hospitality” and if you have the chance to visit the beautiful state of Oregon I recommend a stay at Airlie Farm to experience it all for yourself.

For more information and reservations please visit Airlie Farm’s profile, the Airlie Farm Bed and Breakfast website or Booking and Questions.

Photo Credit: Airlie Farm, Anthony Mugica

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The farm has a cabin which accommodates up to four guests. They welcome kids of all ages, who are free to roam and explore, help with chores, nap on the porch, and explore the area. There are horse riding facilities and hiking trails located nearby.Farmers Doug and Erin raise Mini-Mancha goats on their two acre farm just 15 minutes from the historic town of Prescott, Arizona. Guests can enjoy fresh goat milk, plus eggs from the farm’s chickens. Meet their “deceptively charming” donkey, named Button!

Visit the Three Sparrows Farm listing on Farm Stay U.S. to learn more.

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