The homesteaders who own The Farm, a farm vacation destination in Danville, Kentucky, explain how their farm tourism business got started. You can read about 10 additional charming farm vacation destinations in the South here.
Living the rural life is a life to be envied, that’s for sure. But, sometimes, life has other plans and calling the city home is the reality. Whether it’s a job or family responsibilities 
that keep you within city limits, your address might read urban sprawl, but your heart still yearns for the country life. The good news? An escape to the country isn’t far. Farmers across the country are opening up their barn doors and inviting folks to come and see what true farm life is like. That’s exactly what happened at The Farm.
Nestled on 100 acres in Danville, Kentucky, about an hour outside of Lexington, is this bed and breakfast where you can go and pretend you are a country dweller. Both a working farm and bed and breakfast, The Farm allows you to choose what you want to do, whether sitting outside reading a book or getting some dirt under your fingernails. Owners Angie and Roy Martin opened The Farm in 2012 after their kids grew up and left home. While they still live on the property today, for 30 years it was simply home, the place where they raised their kids. Once their nest was empty, opening The Farm was a no-brainer.
“We just wanted to be a place where people could get a few minutes of peace, to introduce people back to a simpler way of life,” Angie says. And that’s exactly what it is.
You can sit outside and read a book, take a wagon ride, or you can help with the gardening and forgo that perfect manicure — how and what you do is up to you.
“We’re a farm stay and a working farm,” explains Angie.
That means that The Farm is more than just a place to stay overnight, it’s also a place to experience farm life.
“We offer classes based on the season,” she says. “We do canning and make apple butter in the fall, and we make butter and cheese. We grow wheat and grew corn last year. We’ve had guests from just about every state, and a lot of returners.”
For guests who are interested, there are daily barn tours. And forget visiting a zoo -- this place is its own petting zoo. Get up-close-and-personal with the cows, goats, donkeys, cats, dogs, ducks, rabbits, hogs, sheep, mini horses, guineas, peacocks and chickens that live at The Farm. If you choose, you can even milk a goat, feed a calf or gather fresh eggs from the chickens.
One of the most special parts of this place is the Martins. Angie, Roy and their son Jacob, who serves as general manager, go above and beyond to make your stay comfortable. If you have dietary issues, they’ll make your breakfast fit your needs. If you want to visit other places in town, Jacob has recommendations, and might even help you snag tickets. And if you are running late and the weather is bad, they’ll call and check on you. Essentially, when you stay at The Farm, it’s like you’ve found your very own country home.
If you’d like to check out The Farm, please visit The Farm's Facebook page or call (859) 583-0244. The Farm is located at 450 Waterworks Road in Danville, Kentucky.
All photos courtesy of The Farm.
