24 Unforgettable New England Farm Stays

The farm life is alive and well at inns and B&Bs across New England, and at many places, the door is wide open for guests to get a taste of country life over the course of a picture-perfect weekend. Pet a rabbit. Milk a cow. Take a cooking class. Explore local history. Maybe even get your hands a little dirty. The opportunities to turn your next getaway into something truly special are as varied as the farms themselves.

24 Unforgettable New England Farm Stays

Vermont Farm Stays

Big Picture Farm, Townshend

Goats are the stars of this picture—40 of them in all, living free-range on 100 sprawling acres and supplying milk for cheese, chocolates, and melt-in-your-mouth caramels. Book a “goat hangout” to get to know the herd and maybe score a “goat snuggle,” or better yet, stay overnight in the farm’s luxurious accommodations. There’s the snug Solar Cabin, with a bedroom in the loft area; the two-bedroom Colt Barn; and the nine-bedroom Farmhouse, perfect for a large family retreat. All have full kitchens; the Farmhouse also features a six-burner Viking range. And the goats are always right nearby.

Fat Sheep Farm & Cabins, Hartland

Before cows mooed their way to becoming Vermont’s iconic dairy animal, sheep were the most popular milkers on farms throughout the state. The tradition continues at Fat Sheep Farm, where a herd of East Friesians supplies the makings of cheese and yogurt. Guests at the farm’s five modern cabins are invited to help milk the sheep, gather eggs from free-range chickens, and sign up for as many (or as few) other farm chores as they wish. The cabins all have fully equipped kitchens, where some of those eggs just might wind up. Bringing your horse? The farm has stalls for rent.

Green Mountain Girls Farm, Northfield

With a twist on the name of Ethan Allen’s famous crew, Mari Omland and Laura Olsen have created a farm that exemplifies Vermont’s leadership in sustainable agriculture. Known for their Northfield farm stand, they offer guests a chance to learn where all that good food comes from, with programs ranging from quick tours to all-day experiences involving animal feeding, egg collecting, cheese making, pickling, and much more. Stay overnight in spacious, two-floor accommodations at the Farmhouse Inn or Barn Guest House, both with full kitchens perfect for crafting meals out of the farm stand’s abundance of produce, meat, and canned goods.

Highland House Farm Stay, Plainfield

Highland cattle—the shaggy longhorn breed that originated in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland—are part of the welcoming committee at Ray Shatney and Janet Steward’s Plainfield property, home to one of their two Shat Acres farms. The husband-and-wife team offers scheduled tours, but the best way to learn about Highlands is to book a stay at the farm’s three-bedroom guesthouse, with views of the meadows where the cattle graze, plus everything you need to make farm-fresh waffles in the morning. A stay includes the opportunity to bottle-feed a calf, comb the adults (they certainly need combing), help move the herd to new pastures, and take a tractor ride.

The Inn at Mountain View Farm, East Burke

In 1883, Vermont native Elmer Darling established a model farm in East Burke to supply his New York City hotel with meat and dairy products. Darling spared no expense, building a Morgan horse stable, 100-cow barn, and handsome creamery where butter was churned by steam engine. The creamery—where that engine is still housed—is now an inn, the centerpiece of a property that straddles a scenic ridge in the heart of Vermont mountain biking country. The inn’s own star attraction is the Mountain View Farm Animal Sanctuary, where guests and day visitors can meet sheep, pigs, donkeys, and other farm animal rescues.

Liberty Hill Farm & Inn, Rochester

Time to get up! There are cows to be milked and fed—115 Robeth Holsteins, to be exact. Luckily, though, guests can tuck into a hearty farm-to-table breakfast before trying their hand at milking cows and bottle-feeding calves. At Vermont’s first designated Green Agritourism Enterprise, Beth and Bob Kennett have been welcoming folks into their home, and into their life as farmers, for more than 40 years. There are seven comfortable rooms in the 1825 main house, rocking chairs on the porch, and breakfasts and dinners prepared with locally grown produce.

Shelburne Farms, Shelburne

The Gilded Age wasn’t all about Fifth Avenue mansions. Vermont’s outpost of the era was a working farm, and remains one today. During the 1880s, William Seward Webb and his wife, Eliza Vanderbilt Webb, began acquiring what would end up being 4,000 acres of prime agricultural property along Shelburne Point, and there they established a model farm devoted to dairying, horse breeding, poultry, sheep, and grain and vegetable crops. Now a center for agricultural education, 1,400-acre Shelburne Farms invites visitors to tour its gardens, barns, award-winning cheese-making operation, and Children’s Farmyard. Accommodations? The Gilded Age lives on at the Webbs’ former summer home, now the Shelburne Farms Inn, offering 24 guest rooms, five cottages, and farm-to-table dining.

New Hampshire Farm Stays

Animal Farm, North Conway

Nothing Orwellian here—just a pleasant stay on a 40-acre farm with splendid vistas of Mount Washington and surrounding peaks. From the upper-level deck of the private lodging, the animals, too, are in view: miniature horses, pigs, goats, ducks, chickens. Guests are welcome to visit them in the stalls and farmyard, and can make arrangements to help feed the horses and chickens. The guesthouse features two bedrooms, a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and gas fireplace; outside, walking trails and a brook meander through the property.

The Farm at Wolf Pine Hollow, Hancock

The closest thing to living in a pick-your-own paradise might be spending a spell at Wolf Pine Hollow. The farm is a testament to just how much can be grown, organically and sustainably, on a little over 80 acres: vegetables, berries, flowers, orchard crops, a vineyard, and a maple sugarbush. Depending on the season, guests staying at the farm can help plant, harvest, and pick the farm’s bounty. Luxe accommodations come in the form of the six-bedroom Glenrose Manor and the more intimate three-bedroom Cottage at Glenrose. Both have full kitchens, ready for preparing the day’s harvest.

The Inn at East Hill Farm, Troy

Snugged up against the base of Mount Monadnock, East Hill is part farm, part resort, with indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, a sauna, horseback riding, and full-service dining. Guests at this 65-room property, with accommodations spread among the main inn and cozy cottages, can join in farm chores such as milking cows and goats, collecting eggs, churning butter, and making cheese. The farm seasons run from gathering naturally blue Araucana chicken eggs in spring to cider making and wagon rides through the pumpkin patch in fall—and any time of year, kids can bring a certain book to life by patting real bunnies.

The Inn at Valley Farms, Walpole

In a quiet pocket of the Upper Connecticut Valley, this inn stands amid farmland cultivated since the 1700s. With a long history of husbandry—sheep, dairy cattle, poultry—Walpole Valley Farms today focuses on livestock pasture-raised for meat and eggs and practices regenerative soil management. Visit the historic barns and learn about sustainable farm practices while staying in one of two fully equipped cottages; one of two farmhouses, each with three bedrooms; or one of the inn’s rooms and suites. Accommodations at the inn include a full farm breakfast, while other overnight guests are provided with coffee and fresh baked goods. Located five miles from the inn, the farm’s acclaimed Hungry Diner restaurant features a menu built around local agricultural abundance.

Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, Whitefield

A farm experience at one of New Hampshire’s famed North Country resort hotels? It’s true: At Mountain View Grand, a variety of programs for children and adults revolve around the property’s working farm. For kids, there’s Saturday-morning story time featuring farm-themed books, followed by an afternoon “Guided Farm Animal Care Experience” offering an opportunity to feed and help tend to goats, sheep, rabbits, and alpacas. Each morning, guests ages 5 and older can learn about farm life—and help collect eggs—on a “Meet the Farmer” tour. Weekends’ “Wool & Wonder” is all about fleece from sheep and llamas, and the crafting of felt ornaments. Golfers can even hit the links with, yes, a llama for a caddy.

Rhode Island Farm Stays

Grace Note Farm, Pascoag

The grace note here is variety. Stay in an antiques-filled circa-1730 homestead, and spend days helping in the vegetable garden, gathering eggs, and making friends with Eeyore the donkey and Misty the pony. Then take to the trails for hiking, mountain biking, or cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter—unless, of course, you’ve brought your own horse (with boarding facilities and many miles of trails, this is a perfect B&B for equestrians). Guests also enjoy a year-round program of classical music concerts, as hostess Virginia Sindelar is a Julliard-trained flutist who brings world-class musicians to the farm.

Hurricane Hill Farm, Cranston

Just 15 minutes from Providence—and a world away from the 21st century—this 1754 property has been lovingly restored and brought back to life as a fiber farm. The fiber in this case is wool, provided by a herd of Leicester Longwool sheep, a breed once favored by George Washington at Mount Vernon. They’re guarded by a llama and share the farm with goats, chickens, ducks, and guests staying at the four-bedroom cottage or snug Ace travel trailer that sleeps two. Programs offered throughout the year by resident shepherds Drake Patten and Wright Deter include “Sheep to Shawl” and botanical dye workshops.

Mount Hope Farm, Bristol

Spreading across 127 acres on the shores of Mount Hope Bay, Mount Hope Farm encompasses a garden growing produce for a local food pantry; an arboretum, among whose 60 species stands a giant sequoia; and a farm menagerie of goats, donkeys, cows, and chickens. A walking trail rambles past both the vegetable and flower gardens, along the bay, and into the arboretum. Accommodations include the 1745 Governor Bradford House, with five guest rooms, and the 18th-century North Pasture Guest House, whose four bedrooms are ideal for families. Past programs include a “farm-to-fragrance” lavender workshop and monthly story walks for children.

Connecticut Farm Stays

Auerfarm, Bloomfield

Less than 10 miles northwest of Hartford, cashmere goats are waiting to take visitors for a stroll. At Auerfarm, a 120-acre retreat that abuts Auerfarm State Park Scenic Reserve, your stay at one of the property’s fully equipped cottages may include a goat walk, gardening and foraging classes, and the chance to help feed farm animals. Or, just hike or jog along the farm’s scenic trails. Auerfarm is a 4-H Education Center, and its programs for kids focus on agriculture and the environment. Among the full schedule of activities: summertime farm-to-table dinners, a fall festival with hayrides, and a spring maple syrup demonstration.

Fish Family Farm, Bolton

On this 211-acre farm and creamery—one of only four Connecticut dairy farms that pasteurize and bottle their own milk—visitors can say hello to the farm animals and enjoy ice cream made right here. For those staying overnight, there’s a five-bedroom guesthouse with a full kitchen, swimming pool, and firepit, plus opportunities to milk a cow, gather eggs for breakfast and help with other chores, and even fish in the private pond.

Flamig Farm, West Simsbury

Owned by the same family since 1907, Flamig Farm has evolved into an education center and popular spot for families to enjoy hayrides, pony rides, and a petting zoo with all the usual farm critters plus peacocks, potbellied pigs, alpacas, llamas, and miniature horses. Overnight guests stay at a two-bedroom apartment with full kitchen and a second-floor balcony overlooking the farm. When it’s time to head home, fresh organic eggs and other goodies are available at the Flamig Farm store.

Maine Farm Stays

Blue Heron Farm and Retreat, Turner

With its 13 acres nestled along the lazy Nezinscot River, Blue Heron Farm more than lives up to its billing as a retreat. Guests staying at either of two private bunkhouses (with queen beds, not bunks) or a plush glamping tent can slip easily into farm living, fueled by hearty full breakfasts and dinners prepared with organic produce from Blue Heron’s two acres of orchards and vegetable gardens. A day might start with visiting the goats, geese, chickens, and ducks—as well as the donkey, horse, and cow—then move into paddling on the river in a canoe or kayak provided free of charge. Adults only; separate charge for dinner.

ME Water Buffalo Company, Appleton

They’re a mainstay of southeast Asia and, perhaps more famously among foodies, of southern Italy, where their milk is used for the finest mozzarella. But water buffalo also have a hoofhold in Maine. The big bovines at this farm north of Rockland provide milk for yogurt, creamy spreadable cheeses, gelato, and, yes, mozzarella. Tours, tastings, and special events such as pizza nights and “calf cuddling” days bring day visitors; meanwhile, true water buffalo aficionados can book a stay in an on-site glamping tent complete with full bed, firepit, and grill.

West Branch Farms, Machias

Located way Down East, far from Maine’s busy southern and Midcoast regions, West Branch combines hands-on farm experiences with a choice of distinctive lodgings. In an “immersive farm experience,” guests can help harvest produce, feed baby goats and meet other farm animals, and join in workshops on sustainable farming. Stay in one of the 12 cozy Hackmatack cottages set right on the farm, or book the four-bedroom Rockledge House overlooking the ocean; RV sites are also available. Dine at West Branch’s Public House restaurant, specializing in farm-to-table fare.

Massachusetts

Blue Heron Farm, Charlemont

Norwegian Fjord horses are one of the world’s oldest breeds, and they’ve worked on farms in their Scandinavian homeland for millennia. A small herd of the strong, compact horses is a popular feature at Blue Heron Farm, a 130-acre organic producer of blueberries, vegetables, and maple syrup. Guests can help feed the horses and the farm’s herd of Boer and French Alpine dairy goats, as well as collect eggs, harvest garden produce, and pick those plump high-bush blueberries in summer. A selection of nicely secluded accommodations includes a cabin and a bungalow (one bedroom each), a two-bedroom cottage, and a spacious house that sleeps six.

The Farm at Summitwynds, Holden

Between the lavender fields and the horse pastures, it’s hard to imagine a setting more tranquil than this working farm set in the rolling hills northwest of Worcester. Visitors flock here for charming annual events such as the Lavender Farm Fest, the Unicorn Experience, and the Butterfly Experience, but to truly experience the property, there’s nothing like a stay in the farm’s historic stone barn. The former hayloft has been converted into a one-bedroom suite with a full kitchen and a living room, while a patio extends your R&R into the outdoors. Add-ons such as a farm tour, a wagon ride, and a lavender experience may also be on offer—just be sure to ask about their availability well in advance.

Plain View Farm, Hubbardston

It’s been only a little over 40 years since alpacas were introduced to the United States, and these relatives of llamas and vicuñas have since won many a heart. Alpacas are the focus of Plain View Farm, where their soft, strong wool goes into hats, mittens, socks, and more. After touring the farm and getting to know the gentle creatures, visitors may feel they want more than just cozy woolens and want to buy an alpaca of their own. Luckily, they can sleep on it first: Two bedrooms in Plain View’s 1800s farmhouse are available for overnight guests.

This feature was originally published as “Roost & Relaxation” in the March/April 2026 issue of Yankee.

Bill Scheller

Bill Scheller is a travel writer and journalist based in northern Vermont. He is the author of more than 30 books.

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