Ask someone what they love most about visiting Vermont, and chances are they won’t mention an amusement park or a big entertainment venue. They’ll tell you about the cheese they tasted at a working dairy farm, the blueberries they picked on a hillside farm, or the maple syrup they brought home from a family sugarhouse.
That’s because many of Vermont’s best attractions are working farms, places where people grow food, care for the land, and welcome visitors to experience it alongside them.
From our Vermont bed and breakfast, you’re within easy driving distance of some of the best farms in Vermont. Here are a few of our favorites.
Knoll Farm
700 Bragg Hill Road, Fayston
If we had to recommend just one Vermont farm to guests staying with us, Knoll Farm would be at the top of the list.
Set high on a hillside overlooking the Mad River Valley, this certified organic farm has been raising Icelandic sheep, growing blueberries, and practicing regenerative agriculture for more than twenty years. It feels peaceful the moment you arrive, and it’s easy to spend several hours here without ever looking at your watch.
One of our favorite ways to experience the farm is by ordering one of their picnic baskets. Filled with Vermont cheeses, fresh bread, seasonal fruit, spreads, and dessert, they’re designed to be enjoyed anywhere on the property. Find a quiet spot by the pond, settle beneath the greenhouse, or simply enjoy the mountain views.
If you’d rather stretch your legs, the self-guided farm walk winds through the property and offers a closer look at the gardens, pastures, and sheep that call Knoll Farm home. During blueberry season, visitors are welcome to pick their own berries, and throughout the summer, the farm hosts yoga classes, concerts, workshops, and community gatherings that make every visit a little different.
Hartshorn Organic Farm
54 Quarry Road, Waitsfield
Just a few minutes farther down Route 100, Hartshorn Organic Farm offers a more personal look at everyday life on a fifth-generation Vermont farm.
Their roadside farm stand is worth a stop all on its own, stocked with seasonal vegetables, maple syrup produced in the family’s sugarhouse, homemade jams, pickles, and other Vermont specialties.
For visitors who want to dig a little deeper, Amy Hartshorn’s guided 90-minute farm tours are one of the area’s most memorable experiences. You’ll walk through vegetable fields, explore the hydroponic greenhouse, learn about the farm’s organic growing practices, and see how maple syrup is made. During the growing season, guests may also have the opportunity to pick strawberries or blueberries, depending on what’s in season.
If you want to extend your visit a little longer, you can add on a seasonal farm-to-table vegetarian lunch featuring ingredients harvested right from the farm.
Shelburne Farms
1611 Harbor Road, Shelburne
Shelburne Farms is one of Vermont’s best-known destinations, and for good reason.
Set on 1,400 acres overlooking Lake Champlain, this National Historic Landmark combines a working dairy farm, forests, walking trails, gardens, and one of Vermont’s most celebrated farmstead cheddar creameries
Start at the Farm Store, where you’ll find their award-winning farmstead cheddar alongside maple syrup, garden produce, and other Vermont-made goods. Then join the popular Sun to Cheese Tour, which follows the journey from pasture to cheesemaking and introduces visitors to the Brown Swiss cows that make it all possible.
Between tours, wander the trails, visit the Children’s Farmyard, enjoy lunch from the Farm Cart, or simply take in the views across Lake Champlain.
Bread & Butter Farm
200 Leduc Farm Road, Shelburne
Bread & Butter Farm has become a gathering place for both locals and visitors thanks to its Friday night Burger Nights, seasonal concerts, and community events.
Bring a blanket or a few folding chairs and settle in for an evening of live music while enjoying burgers made from the farm’s own grass-fed beef, fresh salads, local vegetables, and gluten-free baked goods from the Blank Page Café.
Even if your visit doesn’t line up with an event, the farm is still worth stopping by. The Farm Store offers grass-fed beef, fresh eggs, honey, vegetables, bread, and other locally produced foods, while the café serves coffee, pastries, and light meals throughout the week.
Adam’s Berry Farm
985 Bingham Brook Road, Charlotte
If your visit falls during berry season (July-August), consider making a stop at Adam’s Berry Farm in Charlotte.
Certified organic and family-owned, the farm grows strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and pumpkins throughout the growing season. Their fields are open for pick-your-own when conditions allow, while the farm stand stocks fresh berries, homemade jams, local honey, and frozen berry treats.
Later in the summer, visitors can also pick their own flowers and sunflowers to take home, making a beautiful reminder of a Vermont getaway.
Bring Vermont Home
One of the best parts of visiting Vermont farms is stopping in the farm store before you leave.
Every shelf tells a different story.
A wedge of cheddar from Shelburne Farms. Maple syrup from Hartshorn’s sugarhouse. Wool products from Knoll Farm’s Icelandic sheep. Fresh bread from Bread & Butter Farm. Homemade jams and local honey from Adam’s Berry Farm.
They’re the kinds of souvenirs that get used instead of tucked away in a drawer, and every purchase supports the families and farms that help make Vermont what it is.
Start and End the Day at the Old Stagecoach Inn
One of our favorite ways to spend a farm day starts right here at the inn.
Ease into the morning with breakfast on the patio, complete with locally roasted coffee, homemade pastries, Vermont maple syrup, and a rotating menu that highlights local and seasonal ingredients whenever possible. It’s the perfect way to begin a day exploring the Vermont farms, orchards, and creameries that make it such a special place to visit.
When you return, unwind with a Vermont craft beer, cider, or one of our literary-inspired cocktails in the Library Pub, or simply relax on the porch and enjoy a quiet summer evening.
Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or planning a longer Vermont getaway, we’d love to help you discover some of our favorite farms, local food experiences, and hidden gems.
Book your stay at the Old Stagecoach Inn, and we’ll be happy to recommend what’s in season, what’s worth the drive, and where to stop along the way.