These farmers will teach you how to milk a cow, a sheep or a goat
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.
1. Dogwood Hills Guest Farm – Arkansas
Nestled in the Ozark Mountains, Dogwood Hills Guest Farm provides a serene setting with a variety of activities, including cow milking. Guests can stay in a comfortable three-bedroom cottage that accommodates up to eight people. The farm offers many engaging activities such as dairy tours, egg gathering, and gardening. Guests can also enjoy farm-fresh meals prepared with local ingredients, including raw milk and farm-fresh eggs (Farmstay).
2. Sanctuary Farm Montana – Montana
Sanctuary Farm Montana, located in Alberton, offers a peaceful retreat with no cell phone coverage, internet, or cable TV, allowing guests to truly unwind. Visitors can stay in a cozy log cabin or an all-season yurt, both offering unique and comfortable accommodations. The farm provides opportunities to participate in farm activities like milking goats and feeding chickens. Guests can also enjoy the beautiful surroundings, including a creek and adjacent National Forest (Farmstay).
3. Fat Sheep Farm and Cabins – Vermont
Fat Sheep Farm & Cabins, located in Hartland, Vermont, offers a unique farm stay experience where guests can immerse themselves in farm life. There are five comfortable cabins available to stay overnight. Visitors can participate in daily animal chores such as feeding and milking sheep, feeding chickens, and collecting eggs. Seasonal activities include socializing with lambs in the spring and enjoying workshops on cheese and bread making (Farmstay).
4. Reves de Moutons – California
Rêves de Moutons, located in the picturesque Paso Robles wine country, offers a luxurious farm stay experience. Guests can enjoy staying in retro-style campers or rooms in the farmhouse. The farm focuses on sheep and goat farming, producing milk, cheese, meat, and wool. Visitors can participate in daily farm tours and meet the animals, with opportunities for hands-on experiences like feeding and milking (Farmstay).
5. New Day Dairy – Iowa
New Day Dairy Guest Barn in Clarksville, Iowa, offers a unique farm stay experience where guests can immerse themselves in the daily life of a working dairy farm. The guest barn provides 24/7 views of 150 cows through large loft windows, allowing visitors to watch and interact with the cows from the comfort of their accommodations. Guests can even take the “Be a Dairy Farmer” challenge and participate in an introductory and farewell tour of the barn (Farmstay).
If these states aren’t on your travel list, use the filter option when you search on Farmstay for all the farms offering “Milking” . Remember, not all farms have dairy animals, but there’s a whole host of other activities that allow you to fully immerse yourself in farm life.
Whether you’re looking to enjoy the beauty of the Ozarks, the tranquility of rural Vermont, or the scenic vistas of Montana, it’s time to come home with some good farm stories to regale your friends…and it might just be your adventures as a milkmaid!
(cover photo courtesy of Hull-o Farms, New York)