Family Fun on the Farm
5 Family Friendly Farm Stays
“Time in nature is not a luxury. It is a necessity. And we must give our children time to explore, discover, and get to know the world, which brings endless delights and lessons that never cease.”
Fellowcould Farm, Kentucky (Photo by Jilli Worth©)
Back in July of 2017, Kevin and I took our 3 daughters on our first coast to coast “Big Trip.” Packed into a rented minivan with over 7,500 miles of driving on our agenda for the next three weeks, we knew we would need to give our girls some fun adventures along the way. Our first stop was a visit to a horse farm owned by one of my best friends, Jilli, and her husband Marty. This stop was a complete surprise for our Littles! We spent 3 nights and 2 full days learning all about life on a horse farm! Our stay was so much fun that we compiled a list of 5 Family Friendly Farm Stays across the US for you to experience your own great farm vacation!
Friendship
Back when Kevin and I had Rachel, I was a stay-at-home mom and I began to feel a little cut off socially. I started working at our church watching little ones while their mothers attended a study. This provided me a way to bring Rachel with me but still connect with others outside of our home. During my first few weeks, I met Jilli and her daughter Mia. Jilli had never left Mia with anyone other than family. That first day was a tough drop off for both of them, but soon Mia was eagerly reaching for me and Jilli was shocked. It made it so much easier for her to walk away and have some grown up time with other moms. Mia was a shy 1 year old who reminded me of Boo from Monsters, Inc., and I immediately became smitten with her. Mia played so sweetly and gently with 4 month old Rachel. She would bring me book after book and climb onto my lap so I could read to both of them.
One day, when Jilli picked Mia up, I suggested that we have lunch sometime with both of our girls. We all became fast friends. Our girls played well together and Jilli and I cherished the time we spent together. We celebrated the girls’ milestones, had play dates, and attended Bible studies together. Jilli even stepped in to watch Rachel and drive me to classes while I recovered from a cervical spine surgery. Our girls shared an obsession with the Tangled movie and could often be found with their matching dresses and braids and carrying a stuffed Pascal (or, in Rachel’s case, a toy frying pan). The four of us became frequent companions over the next couple of years.
In 2011, Kevin was offered a job in North Carolina that was too good to pass up. Jilli was so happy for us but we were both very sad to give up our frequent adventures. We said a tearful goodbye, but promised to stay in touch and were determined that our friendship would prevail. Jilli and Mia visited us in NC and we met up in Myrtle Beach shortly after Sophie’s first birthday so that their family could meet our baby girl.
Click on photo to enlarge and see descriptions.
Fellowcould Farm
Not long after we moved to NC, Jilli and Marty purchased a 15 acre horse farm. Moving to the country allowed Mia to indulge in her passion for horses and Marty to enjoy driving his beloved tractors. Even girly Jilli settled into farm life, adding boots and farm gear to her fashion wardrobe.
They gave the property the name Fellowcould Farm to honor Jilli’s grandfather. Jilli describes him as her “absolute favorite Grandpapa” who lovingly played with her and was never without his fashionable fedora hat. When presented with something to fix or an idea to conquer, he was known to lift his hard working hand to his chin and say, “you know, a fellow could…” and then proceed to explain how to do whatever was being asked of him.
Jilli, Marty, and Mia jumped into farm life, learning as they went and embracing the challenge. They began raising several types of animals on the property over the next several years and have even provided a comfortable facility for others to board their horses. She shared her new life with me through pictures, texts, and calls. However, despite our enduring friendship, we had not had an opportunity to visit the farm. When we decided to plan our “Big Trip,” I knew that Fellowcould Farm should be our first stop!
Surprise!
We decided not to tell Rachel that we would be stopping in Kentucky and visiting the farm and her friend. That meant we also had to keep Sophie in the dark. We spent a full day in the minivan traveling through North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia before crossing the line into Kentucky. We were being a little sly because we knew that if Rachel found out we were in Kentucky she would start asking about Mia. Instead, we tried distracting her. At one point, Sophie announced that she saw a billboard with a cardinal bird on it and we were concerned the surprise was about to be ruined!
We got off at the exit and started driving deep into the country. We told the girls that we were looking for our hotel but must have taken a wrong turn. We wondered aloud if we should stop and ask for directions. We pointed out a cute little farm and said “Hey, maybe we could ask them for directions.” As we pulled into the driveway, Rachel saw Jilli & Mia waving from the front porch. Understanding crept over her face and she started to smile, “wait, is that Mia?” Then she leaned back laughing before jumping out of the van and running to hug her friend.
Farm Life
Mia wasted no time at all introducing Rachel and Sophie to life on the farm. She drove Rachel and me out to the barn on the 4-wheeler to let her horse Dixie out into the pasture and muck her stall. Meanwhile, Kevin and Marty walked out with Sophie, feeding the ducks along the way. By dinner, they were dirty, tired, and hungry! Thankfully, Jilli provided us all with a wonderful home-cooked meal before we showered and settled in for a good night’s sleep.
Our first full day at the farm was Kevin’s birthday. He spent the morning doing some remote work and then he took Ellie to have lunch with an old friend. Jilli and I spent the day talking and catching up with each other while Mia, Rachel, and Sophie explored and played. Mia showed Rachel how to give a chicken a bath while Sophie ran around the backyard chasing chickens with the dog and learning how things work in the chicken coop. Mia taught Rachel the fine art of frog gigging! She was so excited to find success on her first try. “It was staring right at me!” That evening, we had dinner at one of our old favorite restaurants to celebrate Kevin’s birthday and drove around the Louisville area to see our old house and Ellie’s old school. It was surreal to be back in town after 6 years away.
On our 2nd morning, we rose to the sound of a rooster crowing and ducks quacking! They were looking for food and their persistent quacks sounded like “snack, snack, snack!” We went to visit the farm down the road where Jilli’s friend Lisa had two young colts that had been born in the spring. Mia got to help deliver one of them and still has a special bond with him. One of the colts really liked Sophie and kept sniffing her neck and making her giggle. We also got a tutorial from Lisa on how to make soap. It smelled wonderful!
Back at the farm, the girls took turns riding Mia’s horse, Dixie, and playing hide & seek in the barn. Mia taught Rachel how to muck the horse’s stall while Sophie helped pump fresh drinking water. Sophie was even able to “drive” the tractor (with a lot of help from Marty). We ended our evening with a hearty dinner at a wonderful restaurant specializing in southern country cooking. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, chicken livers, pickled beets, and fried green tomatoes were all featured. We all ate so much. Even picky Sophie ate better than she had in days!
Saying Goodbye
On our final morning, as we were loading our van to continue our cross-country journey, Marty arrived with two tiny rescued kittens. He had been alerted that the two had been orphaned and he brought them home to live on the farm. The girls enjoyed seeing the kittens and really wanted to snuggle with them, but these feral felines were in no mood to be handled!
We had so much fun reconnecting with old friends and watching our girls roam free and get lots of exercise. We left the farm feeling well-fed and rested and with a new appreciation for all the work that happens on a working horse farm.
5 Family Friendly Farm Stays
Are you interested in your own farm vacation? While Fellowcould Farm is privately owned and doesn’t host guests, we thought you might be interested in your own family farm getaway. The fresh air and animal experiences are good for the body and soul! Here are some places where you and your family could stay and participate in the activities of farm life:
Fort Lewis Lodge & Farm – Virginia: Set on over 3,300 acres in Bath County, Virginia, Fort Lewis Lodge & Farm provides access to mountains, forests, fields, and streams for lots of activity or just a quiet place to relax. You’ll find lots of onsite activities including farm animal encounters for the kids. There are also many nearby restaurants, shops, and opportunities for more adventures.
Diamond 7 Bar Guest Ranch – Wyoming: This Wyoming ranch offers several different accommodations for their guests, from RV sites to cabins and bunkhouses. Guests can book a specialty week for specific ranching activities like rodeos and roundups. There is an extensive horseback riding program that is very popular. The ranch has also offered turkey, elk, and deer hunting for over 30 years. This is a working ranch and there are abundant opportunities to work and learn.
Heritage Farm – Indiana: This farm located in Flora, Indiana is known for hosting weddings, reunions, parties, and day-trips. Longer farm stays give guests an opportunity to interact with lots of different animals including chickens, goats, alpacas, and pigs. Families can jump into helping with farm chores or just enjoy the quiet simplicity of the farm. Kids can play in the creek, run in the pastures, or enjoy the adventure of the 400 foot long zip line.
Liberty Hill Farm & Inn – Vermont: This farm provides a great place for a day trip or even a comfortable family stay. Visitors can roll up their sleeves to help with gardening, milking cows, or feeding and caring for the animals. Other adventures vary by season from swimming, fishing, and mountain biking in warm weather to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter.
The Inn at East Hill Farm – New Hampshire: This farm is located at the base of Mount Monadnock. For over 70 years, the Inn has provided a destination for families to enjoy the outdoors. With activities for all seasons like boating, fishing, hiking, water skiing, ice skating, and horseback riding, you’re sure to find something to keep you active. There are also great quiet spots to enjoy a book or conversation. Younger kids will enjoy feeding farm animals and helping with farm chores.
We hope you’ll be inspired by our farm visit and schedule a farm visit for your family so you can experience some awesome Uncommon Family Adventures of your own!
Fellowcould Farm from the house (photo by Jilli Worth©)
