This site has had many co-creators, from the college students
and farm women who began the original research to identify our farm
and ranching partners, to several passionate young women with their
own visions for promoting the farm stay culture in America.
We couldn't have pulled off this project without all of them and
continue to rely on their efforts and resourcefulness, great ideas
and total conviction that what we offer in the way of farm and
ranch vacations is vital, and important, and even educational (in
an ever-so-much-fun, not boring way!).
Scottie
Alsea, Oregon
Farm Stay U.S. founder Scottie Jones and her husband Greg raise
grass-fed lamb at Leaping
Lamb Farm in the green hills of Oregon's Coast Range.
Since 2006 they have also operated a thriving farm stay, where
they've hosted guests from near and far.
Scottie brings years of entrepreneurial experience to Farm Stay
U.S., having been the Arizona franchisee for the
socially-responsible British company, The Body Shop, and having
worked in retail services and marketing at the Phoenix Zoo, where
species survival and conservation were critical components of zoo
education.
Now through Farm Stay U.S., she hopes to provide an economic,
educational, even spiritual bridge for rural and urban Americans
eager to renew a healthier food and farm system, and access to
memorable and wonderful guest experiences.
In her own voice: from KATU and
Edible Portland
Kate
Albany, Oregon
Kate is a photographer,
writer, and spinner
of yarns (the wool kind, not the story kind). Raised in the
beige suburbs of Southern California, Kate escaped five years ago
to Oregon, where she is still becoming accustomed to critters and
largish bugs.
In an effort to reduce her own reliance on food from industrial
farms, Kate began blogging and writing about local food and farms
in the Willamette Valley, and started raising chickens in her own
back yard. Up next: maybe bees?
She is passionate about helping people to connect with family
farms and has been a Farm Stay U.S. groupie since the site
began. To that end, Kate is now assisting Scottie with the
daily business of the website (and the farm, at times). While she
has 20 years of administrative professional experience in various
industries, this is the first time she gets to visit with turkeys
during her lunch hour!
Michelle
Brookville, Maryland 
Michelle first fell in love with agriturismo while studying farm
stays in Italy. Inspired by the local farm food and remarkable
farmers that she met in Europe, Michelle knew she wanted to work to
expand agritourism in the United States.
Michelle has worked as a farmer and educator in Maryland,
California, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and Mexico. She also
founded her own small business in Vermont, Aunt Shell's Goat
Cheese.
In addition to contributing here at Farm Stay U.S. as our
blogger, social media expert, and conference/expo speaker and
demonstrator, Michelle also blogs about farm stays at www.farmstays.blogspot.com (aka
The Farm Stay Project) and is writing a travel book about farm
stays in the U.S.
Read blog posts by
Michelle
Heather
Eugene, Oregon
Heather moved to Oregon from Sonoma Valley in
2000. She took some time to explore before settling in the
Willamette Valley, similar with its thriving farming and
agricultural communities to what she was used to in northern
California. Of primary importance to her: to eat and shop
locally, especially when it came to food.
In 2003 she literally stumbled into the wine industry when she
was offered a job managing a wine shop. She learned about
grape farming and ended up working as well for several
wineries. These days she's the Marketing Director for an
independent grocery store focused on supporting local businesses
and offering high quality meat, produce, wine, beer and specialty
items.
Crossing paths with farmers on a regular basis, Heather's goal
at Farm Stay U.S. is to help build and strengthen our membership -
a friendly voice on the phone, a hand in the email. She'll answer
your questions. She can even recommend a good wine!