08/13/2026
You may have noticed some new signage lately at the top of our driveway stating that our farm is not open for drop-ins from the general public. We realize that this may feel off-putting for some, so I wanted to write about it to give some depth to our reasoning. I’ve actually wanted to write about this topic for a while now as it seems to be occurring much more frequently, both at our farm as well as many other farms.
Ever since we first began our little farm here in the woods, we have had to create boundaries regarding expectations from the public. I get that as a culture, most of us are so far removed from the land, from our food, and from that sacred connection with the wild, that it can be very alluring to want to partake in that whenever possible. And I get that farms contain many aspects of those longings, making it very appealing to want to visit and explore them.
Therefore, over the years, we have had people just randomly show up, uninvited, at all hours of the morning, day, and evening, asking to see the farm. Wanting to meet the cute goats. Check out our pigs. Have a tour. Show their kids around. Expecting us to just be open and available whenever suits them. All of this, of course, at no cost. We have had people show up at our house at 7:30 in the morning wanting to buy eggs. We have had people walk down our driveway in the evening wanting to buy live goats to kill for themselves. We have had people bring their dogs onto our property, stating how friendly and fine with livestock they are, when we already have our own dogs as well as free ranging chickens and ducks and a variety of other animals who do not respond well to unfamiliar dogs. We have even had people decide to take themselves on a tour of our farm when we weren’t home, which is not only trespassing but also incredibly concerning regarding liability for us, the land owners. Our farm has electric fencing, various animals, biosecurity concerns, dangerous machinery, and a multitude of other potential opportunities that could lead to serious outcomes for both the trespassers and us.
Now I am not writing this to make anyone feel bad. Nor do I want it to come across like we are reclusive people who despise other humans. I am merely wanting to share our experiences and offer a perspective that some of you may not have considered before. Other farmers may feel completely different about how they open up their land to the public, and to each their own.
Yet for us, this is our home. And yes, we do live where we work. And yes, we have chosen to open our farm, and therefore our home, to the public, but we have done so in a way that works for us at times that work for us. Over the years, we have welcomed people to our home through our farm stand, the studio/gift shop, goat walks, workshops, and our volunteer/apprentice programs.
When we built the farm stand, we wanted to provide a space to share the many offerings that we were growing and creating here from the farm. A way for people to get high-quality, locally-made and locally-sourced creations, all while supporting our small farm and homestead. And it has worked well in that we can either be present when the farm stand is open, enabling us to meet our wonderful supporters, or it can be totally hands-off, self-serve, on the honor system.
We also transitioned our previous volunteer accommodation into a studio/gift shop as our selection of handcrafted offerings grew and we wanted a more appropriate space to display them. The gift shop has been a great addition to our farm and has served as the perfect space to interact with the public and our community.
Hosting goat walks has also allowed us to meet so many lovely people while providing an on-farm experience in a way that works for us since we are not currently set up to host full farm tours. We are, however, able to share the trails, the forest, the brook, and our incredible goaty gang with others. And since we rarely leave the farm, both by choice and by necessity, bringing people here in a way that is meaningful to us is very important as it provides that connection that so many people long for while being immersed in a beautiful forested setting.
Yet this sharing and openness must also come with boundaries. At the start and end of each day, the most important part is that this is our home. Regardless of it being referred to as a farm, it is where we live and work and we ask that our home and livelihood be respected. Just as you wouldn’t burst into the employee areas of a grocery store or pull up to some house that you thought was pretty and give yourself a tour of their yard and home, nor should you feel entitled to just pop by a farm unannounced and give yourself a tour or demand time and attention from the hardworking farmers. Would you walk into a random office and demand a tour? Would you trespass into a store after hours and help yourself? I mean, one would hope not. But…
As a working farm, having random people just stop by unannounced is incredibly disruptive to our day. We are busy every single day as we are still working hard to set up our infrastructure to ensure the success and continuation of this place. And let’s face it, when you farm with animals, there are just no days off. Not when you’re sick and can’t get out of bed. Not when you don’t feel like working. Not when it’s hot or humid or snowing. Not when someone dies. Not ever. Mind you, that is obviously not a sustainable way of living for just two people or even a small family, which has become apparent to farmers around the world. Yet our crumbling food systems and lack of support for local food is not the topic of this post. And yes, we have chosen this way of living, so we aren’t complaining. Yet the reality is that if we decide to take a precious moment of downtime, we are not looking to fill that downtime with a free farm tour to some random strangers who decided to just pop by.
So please, try and put yourselves in the shoes of the farmers as you consider just dropping by or helping yourself to an area of their farm that isn’t part of the space that they have opened up to the public. Have respect for their home and their livelihood, as I’m sure you’d like your home and the wellbeing of all who live there to also be respected and appreciated. 💜
