Farmstay U.S. Blog

Please join us in welcoming five new farm and ranch stay members!

Earthrise Farm, Madison, Minnesota

Originally purchased in 1944, this 240-acre family farm near Madison, Minnesota is run by sisters Annette and Kay Fernholz. The gardens here are comprised of a four acre portion of the farm, and the remainder is farmed organically by their three brothers.

Earthrise Farm can accommodate up to 4 guests in their Pacific yurt. Breakfast is provided. Children under 12 are welcome, as are family reunions.

Country Cousins Farm, Evans Mills, New York

Located in the village of Evans Mills, New York, the Country Cousins dairy farm invites guests to partake in some hands-on experiences and find out what life is like as a farmer. Guests can help with morning milkings, evening feedings, and other chores.

Up to 8 guests can be accommodated in the private cabin. Meals are served family-style, and guests are welcome to relax in the farm's family room and play games. Children under 12 are welcome.

The Farm in Whitewright, Whitewright, Texas

Situated on 30 acres, The Farm in Whitewright, Texas invites you to get away to a quiet place for a night or two. Help out with frolicking goats or milk a cow.

Up to 6 guests can be accommodated in the private suite, and horses are welcome too -- there is plenty of space to park a trailer. Meals are to order. Children under 12 are welcome.

Red Rock Valley Ranch, Las Vegas, Nevada

Stay in Red Rock Country! Guests have the option of staying in the ranch's guest room, or bringing their own RVs and horses. Endless riding in every direction lead to vistas and petroglyphs.

The queen guest room accommodates 2, or guests may bring an RV for the single RV parking space. Refreshments are provided, but otherwise guests are responsible for their own meals. Children under 12 are welcome.

Tyner Pond Farm, Greenfield, Indiana

This new, modern farmhouse is located just east of Indianapolis, Indiana. Take part in some of the farm activities (if you choose), or just enjoy the hundred acres of farmlands and free-ranging farm animals.

Groups of up to 9 will have exclusive use of the farmhouse. There is a farm store to purchase eggs, chicken, pork, and beef to make up your farm-stay meals. Children under 12 are welcome, as are weddings, parties, reunions, and special events.

"This place is like an undiscovered gem," says Bridget McNees, who along with her husband Mac owns Whit's End Ranch outside of Clifton, Tennessee. Many of Bridget's "camping cabin" guests agree, and once they arrive they can't help but call on their friends to come join them, saying, "You're not gonna believe this place. You have to come out here." As Bridget tells me, one cabin rental often becomes three.

The Ranch is a 307-acre parcel of land. At Whit's End, there is plenty to explore: forest, trails, hayfields where a neighboring farmer cuts hay, 27 acres of pasture, creeks and rivers, and a beach perfect for swimming for kids and adults both. Guests choose from seven secluded cedar cabins made of wood harvested and hand-milled on the property by Bridget and Mac. The seven cabins combined can sleep up to 25. Bridget calls them "camping cabins," but these are far from roughing it in a tent.

The cabins are private, set back in the woods, and come complete with fridges, microwaves, linens, heat, air conditioning, and covered porches. There's also a communal outdoor kitchen and grill. Guests get the perks of a hotel room and of camping, both in one place, and they don't have to pack anything but food. Bridget, who has camped all over the U.S. and Canada, is a warm and amiable host. Guests seem to become quick friends with her (and with each other).

Bridget is more than willing to show guests her various building projects around the property, and to teach them what she knows about construction if they're interested. Guests can also learn to mill lumber and drive the tractor to help with forestry work and maintenance. But most of

them focus on "kicking back and relaxing" on the creek side beach, Bridget says. She tells me she's not planning to build any more cabins, so that the kind of vacation Whit's End offers is always going to be an idyllic, "Pollyanna-type" experience.

The area around the ranch is full of activities: horseback riding at Green River Stables, where Whit's End guests get a special deal, canoeing on the Buffalo River, or golfing at a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course. Despite all the attractions, says Bridget, the area is very quiet for all it has to offer.

The town of Clifton is an historic riverboat port with well-preserved old-time lanterns and cobblestone pathways. The small town has everything you need -- restaurants, a dock, a pharmacy, and Bridget's favorite, a "beautiful little café" that she likes to recommend to guests for breakfast and lunch, and for the "eye candy" antiques that the café owner sells onsite.

Whit's End Ranch offers 7 cabins that rent for $75 (no kitchenette) to $100 (with kitchenette) a night. Cabins sleep up to four guests, and all are welcome to use the outdoor barbeque and common area kitchen.  For more information,including Bridget McNees' contact information, check out the Whit's End Ranch Farm Stay U.S. listing.