Liberty Hill Farm forms a lovely bucolic picture: a 102-cow
dairy and inn nestled along the White River between the steep hills
in Central Vermont. There's a tall red barn where guests can try
milking a cow or feeding the calves. There's a cozy 1800s farmhouse
where guests sleep, eat two home cooked meals a day, and relax,
either in the comfy sitting room or on a rocker on the roomy porch.
There's also an abundance of nature to enjoy - swimming, tubing and
fishing along the White River, hiking and biking through the Green
Mountain National Forest, and berry bushes and flowers growing on
the wild pieces of the property. In winter, opportunities abound
for both cross-country and downhill skiing.
Beth and Bob Kennett have owned Liberty Hill Farm since 1979.
Their two grown sons have recently come back to work on the farm as
well. The farm is a proud member of the Cabot Creamery Cooperative,
makers of "The World's Best Cheddar" according to a spate of cheese
competition awards. Liberty Hill Farm itself has also garnered a
suite of awards: in 2008 it was designated as "Vermont's 1st Green
Agritourism Enterprise." In 2010, the farm was among the few
destinations selected for an Editor's Choice "Best of New England"
award from Yankee Magazine. The farm has been
consistently highlighted in the media, including USA
Today, The Boston Globe, and ABC
News.
These accolades are well deserved: Beth Kennett is an incredible
hostess, and a pioneer of and charismatic spokeswoman for Vermont
agritourism -- she's been hosting guests in her farmhouse since
1984.
I chatted with Beth as she and her friend Lois danced around the
kitchen cooking up dinner for 15 guests. Beth regaled me with
fascinating tidbits about the history and challenges of the dairy
industry and about the incredible impact her farm stay has had on
some of her guests. She told me about one man who arrived with
serious doubts about spending time on a farm again, having grown up
on one. This man, Beth told me, hugged her tightly and literally
cried with gratitude as he left, as if the farm stay at Liberty
Hill had allowed him a true emotional release. Another guest has
visited every year since she was a small child, and now brings her
own children for summer vacations to the farm.
Beth loves to cook, and she treats guests to two homemade meals
a day featuring Cabot dairy products and food from her neighbors'
farms. The dinner menu includes mouthwatering fare like cheddar
biscuits, maple cranberry chicken, rice pilaf with wild ramps, and
maple pumpkin ice cream for dessert.
Liberty Hill Farm also hosts wonderful knitting retreats
oriented towards cancer support and charity - knitted items are
often donated to local hospitals and organizations.
Liberty Hill Farm can host up to 17 guests in the farmhouse.
Rates (includes lodging, breakfast, and dinner) are $98 per adult,
$75 per teenager, $54 for children under 12, and kids 2 and under
stay free. For more information on Liberty Hill Farm, visit their
Farm Stay U.S.
page.