Our journey started with a simple wish: to find a place where we could spend time together as a family (the details involve quarantine and endless hours of watching This Is Us, but I’ll spare you the long story).
When we began searching, we knew two things for sure: we needed somewhere within a reasonable drive from the city (because let’s be real, if it was too far, we’d never go out there), and we needed a space where we could roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty. I’m not one for sitting still, so a cabin in the woods with nothing to do sounded like a nightmare!
With a deep respect for nature, we set out to cultivate land using the best environmental practices. Our goal? To create a space where we could grow fruits and veggies, enjoy the outdoors, and give farm animals a place to thrive—all while learning the ropes along the way!
When we found Whitewood Farm, we knew we’d found the place.
In Year One at the farm, we spent most of our time fixing up the farmhouse to get it ready for renters, and transforming the 1962 farmhouse was a total labor of love.
When we first saw her, she was sad and tired, but we knew she had potential. After some serious work (in the wee hours of the night, after kids’ activities and bedtime), we brought her back to life as a clean, midcentury modern retreat.
At first, we tried short-term rentals, but we quickly realized that to truly get “the feel” of the farm, guests needed more time. So, we switched things up and started requiring stays of 31 nights or longer. Not only did this make city ordinances easier to manage, but our neighbors were happier too—win-win!
The shift to longer stays has been the perfect fit. When guests are here for at least a month, they really start to understand why we fell in love with this place from the start. There’s something special about spending time here, and we love that others get to experience it too.
As we wrapped up Year One at Whitewood Farm, it was clear that this journey was about much more than just transforming a farmhouse—was about cultivating a new way of life. Every step of the way our first year reinforced our belief in the power of slowing down, working with nature, and finding joy in simple things.
