Local Farms Stays are a Harvest of Hospitality
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Beach Plum Farm in West Cape May, NJ.
For your next getaway, green acres may be the place to be
By Tim Ebner, EdibleDC
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been exploring a different type of travel. I have traded in my trusty carry-on for a weekend duffle, and I’m bypassing cramped airplane cabins, edgy seat-mates and airport security altogether, opting instead for the access and ease of the open road.
Driving in my trusty Volkswagen, I have been transported to some unique and unforgettable places in the Mid-Atlantic region—all while maintaining safe social distance. Several of my trips were to farms, where the cell phone service might be spotty, and when the rooster crows, you either rise and shine or struggle to roll out of bed.
Agritourism has always been an inviting way to travel, especially in far-flung destinations like Tuscany, Italy, or Provence, France. Here in the United States we seem to value a beach or mountain escape over a stay on a local farm.
Hopeland Farm offers up close chicken snuggling. Photo by Jennifer Chase.
However, that has started to change in the last year, says Max Weidman, who runs Hopeland Farm in Pennsylvania’s Amish Country—135 miles north of Washington, DC.
“Most people who come here are looking for some kind of unplugging from modern life, especially during the pandemic.”
“Our farm has truly been a much-needed respite for visitors, and I think agritourism is really just taking root in America,” Max Weidman says. “Love for the land, and love for farming, is a good thing. It connects you to the local food system and makes you feel part of something that feels bigger, cultivating real and personal engagement.”
Max along with his wife, Jen Weidman, have been hard at work on their family’s farm for over three years now, raising ducks and chickens. Part of the joy is connecting with people who truly want to get their hands dirty on the farm.
Their guesthouse experiences also provide supplemental income. Visitors can either rent a single-bedroom log cabin from the 1700s, or the Red House, a farmhouse with four bedrooms, featuring open and bright living space for the entire family.
“The reality of farming in America is that Airbnb is the best thing you can possibly farm out for revenue,” Weidman admits. “It’s also so much easier to facilitate a farm stay these days. There’s Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and heated and running water, so the days of roughing it are over. These 21st-century comforts make the farm stay more appealing than ever before.”
Max and Jen are also former DC chefs who worked together at Bibiana. Among the perks of this particular stay are family-style meals delivered to your door.
“Our farm seems to be the perfect place for families to gather,” says Jen Weidman. “While our cheffing business sort of slowed down during COVID-19, we’ve enjoyed the ability to serve our guests these seasonal and fresh meals.”
Hopeland Farm
DC Drive Time: 2½ hours
Location: Lititz, PA
Perfect for: The Red House farmhouse ($325 per night on Airbnb) is perfect for family stays and the log cabin ($176 per night on Airbnb) offers a quaint and quieter option for couples who want a romantic weekend away.
Perks of the stay: Fresh farm eggs await you at your stay, and guests are encouraged to engage with the farm animals, which includes baby chicks and ducklings.
Book at: hopelandfarm.com
Woodlawn Farm, photo by Jennifer Chase.
At Woodlawn Farm, about two hours south in St. Mary’s County, MD, “slack farming” is an approach that owner Jim Grube takes in growing grapes and hops for wine and beer, which you can taste during a weekend stay.
His farm, unlike many others in the area, stays away from commodity crops such as corn, soybeans or wheat, and opts instead for organic farming and biodynamic wines grown on a historic parcel that was the first deeded property in Maryland—founded in 1634 by Leonard Calvert, the state’s first governor.
“Slack farming is flexible farming,” Grube says. “We believe that it’s good to have some slack in your life, so the concept means anyone can farm—even if you’re on vacation.”
During the pandemic, Grube launched his farm’s Slack Works Project, made possible through a USDA Rural Business Development Grant, and he views the program as an opportunity to engage visitors in local farming practices, agricultural workshops and community-based activities hosted at the farm.
“One of the most recent developments has been the construction of a three-mile hiking and walking trail, so visitors can literally walk the farm,” Grube says. “We want them to see the fields and look at how our hops and grapes are grown before they taste some of the delicious beers and wines they eventually become.”
This farm stay looks and feels a lot different than what Grube was doing before the pandemic. Previously, Woodlawn was mainly a wedding venue with two on-site cottages and two Manor house suites, designated for bridal parties. Now, he’s more focused on welcoming in weekend guests interested in experiencing farming firsthand.
“We see this as a way to diversify our business and build out a curriculum for the slack farming crowd, those who want to embrace agriculture and experience life on the farm,” Grube says. “This type of agritourism also feels like a welcoming gesture to get people out of cities and suburbs and in the wide-open space of 200 acres.”
Woodlawn Farm
DC Drive Time: 1½ hours
Location: Ridge, MD
Perfect for: A weekend getaway and adventure with friends who enjoy delicious craft beer and wines. The cottages ($240 per night) are perfect for a friends or couples retreat.
Perks of the stay: The property has waterfront views of tributaries along the Potomac River, plus kayaks and hiking trails to stay active.
Book at: woodlawn-farm.com
Beach Plum Farm has other amenities, such as a swimming pool for a cooling dip. Photo courtesy of Cape Resorts.
An aerial view of Beach Plum Farm in West Cape May, NJ.
Meanwhile, guests at Beach Plum Farm in West Cape May, NJ, have the option to request a fully stocked cottage with all the comforts of a beach-house dwelling.
Upon request, guests can have the fridge filled with fresh eggs and meats, all of which are seasonal and come straight from the farm that surrounds you.
Beach Plum has dozens of fruits, vegetables and herbs grown on property, as well as livestock including chickens, turkeys, ducks and heritage hogs. Visitors also enjoy easy access to an on-site farmers market serving all of Cape May.
“Nestled in the main Amish barn, the Beach Plum Farm Market is filled with choice produce and meats from the farm fields, as well as a wide range of artisanal products from local makers,” says Christina Albert, Beach Plum Farm’s director of agriculture. “There’s also an on-site Beach Plum Farm Kitchen open for breakfast and lunch, and we host weekly farm dinners throughout the year where visitors can enjoy the harvest outside.”
The farm is open to the public, and frequently tours teach about food growing practices, so you can get a sense of sustainable farming techniques.
Throughout the year, Beach Plum Farm also hosts interactive programs and packages where guests can have even more hands-on experience—whether it’s collecting eggs, participating in a cooking demonstration with chefs or planting a garden.
That’s in addition to some exquisite fine dining that makes this farm feel more like a luxury retreat than roughing it on the homestead.
The Beach Plum Farm Kitchen is overseen by Executive Chef Wes Thompson, and his ethos is sourcing as many ingredients as possible from on-site.
“Examples of popular dishes that use the farm’s ingredients include the Beach Plum Farm Kitchen’s chicken salad sandwich, featuring chicken from the farm, and rainbow chard as the ‘lettuce,’” he says. “There’s also a meaty pulled-pork sandwich and our ricotta toast—dill and parsley that are mixed into the ricotta, then the toast is topped with arugula and radishes.”
Thompson also has the advantage of access to the Delaware Bay, including a couple of shellfish biologists, Gustavo and Lisa Calvo, who once lived and worked on the Chesapeake Bay before launching Sweet Amalia Oyster Farm in South Jersey.
“These oysters are some of the best I’ve ever had, and they harvest them younger than most oyster farms, which gives them a unique flavor and deeper cup,” Thompson says.
He tops these oysters with Beach Plum Farm’s signature chimichurri sauce, which you can easily fix up and serve at home. It’s also the perfect addition to whatever you plan to throw on the grill this summer. Consider it your sensory souvenir from a farm obsessed with freshness.
“This recipe features parsley, cilantro and scallions, all of which we get at the farm,” Thompson says. “[The sauce] can be used to marinate your meats before you cook them, or what I generally prefer is to use it as a finishing ingredient. This sauce works great for seafood, beef, poultry or pork.”
Chimichurri Beach Plum style over grilled shishito peppers.
Beach Plum Farm Chimichurri
Recipe courtesy of Wes Thompson, executive chef, Beach Plum Farm
1 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped parsley
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
½ cup finely chopped scallions
1 deseeded and finely chopped red chili (optional)
½ shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Allow to sit for 5–10 minutes to release all the flavor into the oil before using. This can be made 24 hours in advance, but is best when it is fresh.
Beach Plum Farm
DC Drive Time: 3½ hours
Location: West Cape May, NJ
Perfect for: The food lover in your life looking to immerse in fine dining, farm tours and a farmers market experience on-site. Beach Plum cottages sleep six to eight people and range in amenities and pricing depending on your check-in date (cottages are as low as $469 per night in the fall, winter and early spring off-season, and as high as $1,400 per night during the peak of summer).
Perks of the stay: You can request a fully loaded fridge filled with fresh ingredients, dine al-fresco at one of the many farm dinners or stroll the grounds, which includes an English-inspired garden, herb garden and greenhouse. Plus, the beach is only five minutes away.
Book at: beachplumfarmcapemay.com
