Ashe County : locations saisonnières

Guests will meet at the barn for introductions and briefing of the activities that are planned for the afternoon. Guests will be escorted to the pasture for a meet and greet of our goats and dogs. Next we will provide a guided tour of the farm and the milking parlor where our goats are milked by hand. We will demonstrate goat milking and guests will be invited to milk a goat. Next, we will escort the guests to the creamery where we will describe small scale farmstead cheese making. We will provide an overview of basic practices and procedures of making goat cheese, including milk pasteurization, adding cultures, and packaging, labeling and storage of cheese. We will conclude with wine and cheese tasting. Other things to note Guests will not make cheese, instead we will demonstrate how our goat cheese is made. Weather permitting, the wine/cheese tasting will be held outdoors w/ beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. If it is raining, the wine/cheese tasting will be provided in the creamery.

Visit our gorgeous four-acre donkey sanctuary right on The Creeper Trail with stunning river views. You'll meet all eight of our donkeys (six miniatures, one standard, and one critically-endangered mammoth) and get to see their individual personalities and herd dynamics up close and personal from INSIDE THE FIELD WITH THEM. You'll learn about donkeys and donkey care, hear our herd's individual stories, and learn about donkey history and rehabilitation. Learn fun facts about how donkeys are different from horses, with ample time for a Q & A session about all things donkey and farm life . Brush our herd and take selfies too! ***Per our insurance, the minimum age of participants is twelve years old. ***Upon arriving to our farm, you will be asked to sign a liability waiver to participate in this experience. This keeps our farm safe and our insurance company happy. Thank you in advance so much for understanding. ***Please park at Alvarado Station, a public parking venue (with public restrooms) approximately 100 yards from Abingdon Donkey Lodge. After you park, you'll walk past the church on The Creeper Trail and then cross the street to our home. We're on the corner of Alvarado Rd. and Denton Valley Rd. There are signs for Abingdon Donkey Lodge. ONE-HUNDRED percent of our farm tour proceeds go towards vet, farrier, training, +feed for our beloved herd! Can't wait to see you!

I’ll take you on a hike right outside of Boone. My favorite trail to a fabulous view or a top secret waterfall and swimming hole awaits- your choice! We can hike, swim, have a light lunch or snacks and take in the scenery. Kids and dogs always welcome. Please note that the 3 hour experience includes drive time to our hike.

We start off with an introduction to the tools and a discussion about safety. Then students select a piece of wood to make a bowl from. I will show you how to get started and the process for making sure the bowl turns out well. And I will be carving right alongside you so you have a visual guide for every step. You will shape the outside and carve the inside of the bowl. After the carving we move on to sanding down to a silky smooth surface and then finishing with natural food safe finishes. Then students get to take their bowl home and enjoy it for a lifetime. I source local hardwoods and typically have a variety to pick from. Some examples are box elder, red oak, white oak, black walnut, maple, and poplar. So your final piece will be a permanent piece of the mountains to take home with you. We will be working in the yard at my home. Seating is available if you need to take a rest. I can also tell you about some of the other fun things to do in the area. Other things to note Just be prepared to have a lot of fun with power tools. You will definitely get dusty but that is part if the fun.

Join us for this introduction to the homestead lifestyle! We will start with a short walk around Fun Frolic Farm and see the gardens, along with some native and medicinal plants used on the farm. Next we will visit the barn and meet the dairy goats that provide milk for our soap, lotion and farmstead cheeses, as well as our flock of laying hens and pigs! You will have the opportunity to ask questions about all of the animals, offer treats to the goats and collect eggs if there are any. We will also discuss animal health and husbandry, feeding and pasture management. We will finish with a tasting of the weeks cheeses and even though our farm store is currently closed to indoor visitors, you may still sample or purchase some of our farm goods at our smaller outdoor location. *In effort to support our community in helping slow the spread of coronavirus, we are limiting the group size for our experiences to 6 people. All experiences will be held outdoors and, following cdc guidelines, we will implement social distancing throughout the duration of the experience.