by Tom Bastek
Last updated: 2:00 AM ET, Tue July 22, 2014
PHOTO: Front lawn of the farm house (Courtesy of Hull-O Farms)
Recently I wrote about going out west and City-Slicking your way to happiness on a Dude Ranch. That got me thinking that any good City-Boy would probably want to spend a little time on a farm, too, right? Here we go:
Choosing a Farm
Almost every state including Alaska, Hawaii, and even Puerto Rico have farms that offer up their fields to tourists so deciding where to go might be first up. Farm Stay US is a great place to start and with their search engine you can sort by type, location, cost, and capacity. There is even an advanced search allowing customization of amenities, food, activities and accommodations.
If you are worried about how much work you have to do while you are there, don't. Most farms are more interested in introducing you to the way of life and allowing you to have a comfortable stay than worried about how much hay you can bale.
Activities
Ok, so you are going to a farm, and your wife wants to relax, but you want to get your hands dirty. What can you do? Let's start with the basics. At Hull-O Farms in the Catskills in upstate New York you can milk cows, nanny goats, gather eggs, learn to feed baby animals, mend fences, ride a tractor and toss bales of hay.
There is the "less desirable but still needs to get done" stall mucking and animal care. The good news is that on every farm you are not expected to do anything but you can do almost everything!
Some farms are much more like B & Bs and offer services like a spa, recreational sports, culinary lessons, wine tastings and even carriage rides. Blackberry Farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee offers up a full-fledged 4 star experience with a full spa with massage, yoga, a juice bar, and personal training. They have adventure outdoor activities including paddle sports, hiking, cycling, and even paintball.
Their outdoorsman activities include equestrian, fly fishing, shotgun sports and archery. You can tour their gardens and farm, enjoy cooking demonstrations, attend wine and whiskey tastings, and quaff a couple of beers right in their on-premise brewery! You can even go truffle-hunting with the farms own Lagatto truffle dogs?
Blackberry Farm from Blackberry Farm on Vimeo.
Do you live in a Barn?
I know that we all just shuddered a little bit hearing that question (my father's personal favorite), but it brings up another great question: Where do you stay on a farm? The good news is that it varies greatly which means that you can pick out a spot that is close to your heart or close to the ground.
At Breakwind Farm in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, they have a farmhouse to rent, but most of their guests either pitch a tent or hook up an RV. Take a guess what they are known for and if you can't figure it out click here.
Crooked Finger Farms takes the digs a step up with "glamping" in their Bali House. If you are looking to stay in a converted farm house, they have a beautifully restored one as well.
But if you are really looking for is a farm stay with a true barn, then turn to either Butternut Farm B&B in Glastonbury, Connecticut or Tipping Bucket Farm in Washington Island, Wisconsin. Neither may be your traditional Big Red Barn that we all think of when we talk about the farm but they both are authentic and will fit the bill.
Down-Home Cooking
Food runs the gamut as well. You can self-prepare, have family-style, made to order, packed lunch and even gluten-free and vegan meals. One thing is for sure: You are on a farm! There is going to be plenty of organic, locally grown, farm fresh food to eat. Your choice is simply how fancy do you want to make it.
Going One More Step
If all of this is too… well, frou-frou for you; if you wanted more work and less fluff; there may be another option. The Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or WWOOF, started in the UK in 1971, is about giving folks the chance to participate in the organic farming movement.
Here is the way it works: You become a member of WWOOF, you search for host farms in one of the 50 countries that they have onboard, you go and work about a half a day in exchange for food and lodging. No money is exchanged. Just work, knowledge and friendship.
The length of the stay is determined by the host and the visitor (called WWOOFers!) and can range from a couple of days to an entire season. For those who want to keep it close to home, the US site is here.
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