Celebrate Mom with Fresh Air, Good Food, and Farm Hospitality
This June, we’re packing our bags and heading to Aberdeen, Scotland for something pretty special.
Across the country, farms are welcoming guests in growing numbers, from short visits to longer stays, offering a close look at everyday farm life. It’s an invitation to see where food comes from and to experience farm life. Those who have chosen to do this have done so thoughtfully. There is no performance or theme, but instead a form of welcoming, a chance to share the land and introduce the families who care for it. From the outside, visiting a working farm can feel a little unexpected. The farmer has laden the breakfast table with jams they made and eggs fresh from the chicken coop. You step outside your door to pick fresh fruit from the orchard, or maybe you’re invited to try your hand at milking a dairy cow or holding a bottle of warm milk for a calf. The lights are on for your late arrival, and a friendly note on the table welcomes you to the farm. This is a visit to a family’s home in the countryside. At Farmstay, we work with farms and ranches across the country that welcome guests in many different ways. Some are just beginning their hospitality journey. Others have been opening their gates for decades, shaping hospitality through lived experience rather than any single formula. This is a small glimpse of the many farms that do this kind of hosting especially well (the first three farms on our list were early U.S. pioneers in farm hospitality, welcoming guests as far back as the 1950s).
Part I- The Trailblazers
Have you ever wanted to try your hand at milking a cow? You're thinking, "How hard could it be?" Actually it's not as easy as it looks but these farms want to give you a chance to dispel the romance and try for yourself. It's where nostalgia and novelty overlap.
Agritourism, a funny blend of the words 'agriculture' and 'tourism,' originated from the Italian term 'agriturismo' in 1985. It was designed to combat rural flight, providing travelers with unique experiences on the farm. This concept has been embraced globally, encompassing farm-based activities like tours, shops, restaurants, and lodgings.
Covered wagons are rolling onto farms and ranches across the U.S., the most iconic of these being Conestoga Wagons. You've probably seen those beauties with their curved floors and canvas roofs held up by wooden hoops. Covered wagons hauled everything from freight to people in the 18th-early 19th centuries and even served as lodging for shepherds. Now they are seeing a revival in the 21st century as a form of historic glamping for the modern-day adventurer!
Arriving at a farm is a captivating experience. Imagine: after a leisurely drive from the city to the vast countryside, you find yourself on a dirt road. As you step out of the car, a rush of fresh air and birdsong greet you. Adding to the warm welcome, you're greeted with a handshake and a genuine smile from your farm stay host.
There are many ways to commemorate your next farm stay experience but we must say, shopping at the farm store is one of the tastier (and fun!) ways to bring the farm home with you. Farm stores come in all shapes and sizes from bread buggies to farmer's markets to subscription CSA boxes -- each farm has their own unique way of sharing the goods they produce.
It may come as a surprise to some, but staying on a farm can have proven mental health benefits. In acknowledgement of Mental Health Awareness Month, we have explored one of many therapeutic techniques that can be implemented on your next farm stay vacation: earthing.
Today we'd like to introduce you to Gene and Julie from Blooming Joy Farm in Ronan, Montana. This farm and its hosts receive glowing reviews - with gorgeous scenery, a relaxing atmosphere and hospitality that's "above and beyond"! Read on for our Q&A with Julie:
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