Working Farm Bed and Breakfasts: Southeast

By Teresa Opdycke

The special flavors of  southeastern United States speaks of southern hospitality, warmth, and abundance. Traveling to Virginia you’ll find a charming 18th century home flanked by two brick cottages and surrounded by the natural beauty of mountains and valleys along with the quaint charm of a farm with cattle, pigs, chickens, and more.  A drive further south to South Carolina leads you to another farm that unabashedly gleams with joy when it comes to dogs and horses.   Finally, let the warmth of the Mennonite community surround you while staying at a 250 acre dairy farm in Georgia. Relax, unwind, and daydream of by gone eras that you can still experience by taking yourself back to rural roots.  

Smithfield Farm Bed & Breakfast
http://www.smithfieldfarm.com/
568 Smithfield Lane    Berryville, Virginia    (877) 955-4389

A stately brick 1824 Federal style home stands proudly surrounded by the majesty of Blue Ridge Mountains in Clarke County.  The beauty of the Shenandoah Valley lifts the spirits of travelers ready to be pampered at the Smithfield Farm Bed & Breakfast near Berryville, Virginia.  A 360 acre working cattle farm offers a glimpse into rural life with charm and elegance. Free-range beef, pork, and chicken comprise the agri-business of the 7th generation that works the land and tends the animals at Smithfield Farm. 

The beautifully appointed guest rooms, available in the manor house, along with two one-bedroom cottages bids guests to relax within the tranquil setting.  The view from each room peers out over the storied Blue Ridge Mountains creating wondrous sights not soon forgotten. 

In the morning, before beginning a day of shopping, antiquing, wine tasting, or any of a number of activities, partake of a country breakfast with, of course, free-range meats and eggs reaped from the bounty of Smithfield Farm.    

GREENBRIAR PLANTATION
http://www.greenbriarplantation.com/greenplan/index.asp
3025 Bo Peep Road    Brunson, South Carolina    (800) 487-2231

Hear the registered black angus cattle lowing in the pasture that surrounds Greenbriar Plantation, enticing you to enter the world of country living with style. A working farm in the heart of South Carolina’s low country, the Greenbriar Plantation beckons horse lovers from near and far to stay awhile.  The owners of the bed & breakfast breed Yellow Labrador Retrievers and Quarter horses.  With all the activity of livestock and farm chores there’s always something going on. 

The old carriage house that stored buggies, carriages, and horse tack now accommodates visitors in comfortable suites.  A southern style breakfast prepared on a hearth is a signature element of Greenbriar Plantation and one not to be missed.  Bring your own horse and begin the day riding the quiet road that meanders past Greenbriar.  With three separate stables and one just for visiting horses, you and your horse will enjoy the stay.  If traveling to Hilton Head or some other destination is part of your plans, leave your horse in the good care of the folks at Greenbriar.  They’ll take care of the animal and watch over your trailer and tack. Turkey and deer hunting, offered during season, adds another dimension to the country experience for vigorous outdoorsmen.

 If you’re a devotee of horses and dogs, Greenbriar Plantation may be the perfect weekend escape.  Perhaps you just want to unwind in a pastoral setting and be part of the day to day operations of a working farm.  Either way, you’ll find yourself pleasantly lost in the world of Greenbriar Plantation.

The White House Farm
 http://www.whitehousefarmbnb.com/
Box 1679 Mennonite Church Road    Montezuma, Georgia    (478) 472-7942

Crist and Edna Yoder extend an invitation to anyone seeking a return to the spirit of the land.  Spend a few days taking in the bountiful, lush farm they call home.  The White House Farm sits amidst abundant fields with black and white Holstein dairy cows dotting the landscape.  The 250 acre dairy farm, part of Georgia’s Mennonite community provides a comfortable stay for those seeking a quieter, gentler retreat.  Being part of the inner workings of farm life, even for only a few days, gives visitors a sense of renewal. 

True to Mennonite communities everywhere, the importance of helping out neighbors and fellowship with others reigns true in Georgia.  The Yoder home, built in the 1950s, came about from a Mennonite construction frolic.  A time for socializing as well as building, a frolic brings friends, neighbors and the entire community together to achieve a goal quickly and in good company.  The guest rooms in the house, with names like the Magnolia Room, the Rose Room, and the Spring Bouquet Room, provide a good idea of what the rooms entail.  Each room conveys it’s theme with comfort and country style.

Rise and shine with a full farm breakfast prepared by the Yoder family.  When the weather cooperates breakfast in the gazebo idly dining on warm-from-the-oven baked goods, typical of Mennonite cooks.

The White Farm House in George offers the grace and relaxing atmosphere that only country living offers, Greenbriar Plantation focuses on horses and dogs, and Smithfield’s country elegance invites guests to lose themselves in the ambiance and views of living in harmony with the land.  Each working-farm bed & breakfast gives a unique glimpse into rural life. You could visit one hundred farms in the southeast and never find two alike, though they may raise similar livestock, plant the same crops, each one has a character and flavor all its own.    

Bed and Breakfasts in the Midwest
Bed and Breakfasts in the Northeast
Bed and Breakfasts in the Northwest
Bed and Breakfasts in the Southwest

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