Fantastic Farm Stays Around Washington

White Lotus Farm & Inn Nettles Farm

Frolic with critters and learn about local food on a working Northwest farm

By Kate Missine

White Lotus Farm & Inn With cross-country and international travel still a ways off for many families, we are looking closer to home for a much-needed change of scenery. Enter a fresh crop of destinations: nearby family farms. A farm stay, also known as agritourism, involves staying on a real working farm and immersing your fam into the charms of rural life.

Farm-stay digs generally involve a cottage or guesthouse of some sort, with some farms also offering suites, tents, yurts or RV camping sites. Many specifically welcome families, inviting kids — and their grown-ups! — to partake in the multitude of chores and activities that make up the bustle of farming life. Imagine cooking meals with produce plucked right out of the garden, cuddling fluffy chicks and bottle-feeding baby goats. Some farms have a specialty focus, offering experiences such as cheesemaking, horseback riding and fishing. We’ve hand-picked seven farm-fresh stays around Washington — no crossing state lines required — where the whole family can enjoy a refreshing change of scenery and even pick up some new skills.

White Lotus Farm & Inn, Port Ludlow

3723 Beaver Valley Rd., Port Ludlow • 425-830-0253 • whitelotusinn@gmail.com

Just over the Hood Canal Bridge on the Olympic Peninsula, White Lotus Farm & Inn (whitelotusfarmandinn.com) sprawls across 70 acres of flower fields, orchards and “food forest,” planted with more than 50 varieties of fruits, nuts and mushrooms. There are also honeybee hives! Owners Niall and Natalie aim to cultivate an edible ecosystem, and give tours and educate guests on the farm’s growing practices. Youngsters get a true taste of where their food comes from by sampling and gathering the homegrown produce, helping to

continued from page 13 look for eggs and taking care of the farm’s animals. White Lotus critters include roaming sheep, turkeys and even a resident llama.

Visitors stay in a one-bedroom suite for four located in the main farmhouse, with a private entrance leading out to the communal firepit and gardens. There’s also a grill and alfresco seating area, where families can prep their own farm-totable dinners. There’s no TV in the room (yay for unplugged time!), but if you’re craving screen time, the comfy den area does have a TV and DVD player, along with games, books and movies.

Want an off-site day trip? Olympic National Park is within a few hours’ drive, and the quaint town of Port Townsend is only 20 minutes away.

Pebble Cove Farm, Orcas Island

3341 Deer Harbor Rd., Eastsound, Orcas Island • 360-622-6460 • pebblecovefarm@hotmail.com

You don’t need to choose between farm fun and a beach vacay at waterfront Pebble Cove Farm (pebblecovefarm.com) on Orcas Island. Set on a private strip of beach with its own cove, which is perfect for combing for seashells, Pebble Cove also offers kayaks, rowboats and paddleboards as part of a farm stay. On top of those pursuits, save time for stargazing and roasting s’mores.

This farm also operates as an animal sanctuary. Cuddly miniature horses, sheep, pigs and others are all rescue critters waiting to be lavished with affection. Gorge on seasonal fruit at the organic U-pick garden and orchard, take a dip in the outdoor hot tub, or enjoy the kids’ swing set and playhouse.

Various lodging options are available, including a cottage, suites and two off-site homes in the nearby town of Eastsound. All lodgings come with amenities that include satellite TV, a lending library of games and movies, and an assortment of tasty breakfast treats and snacks. One thing you won’t find, though, is dairy. As part of the farm’s stand against animal cruelty, Pebble Cove only serves soy or coconut milk with its homemade granola. The farm doesn’t collect eggs from the free-roaming chickens for the same reason.

Pebble Cove Farm

Pebble Cove Farm Paca Pride Guest Ranch, Granite Falls

28311 Mountain Loop Hwy., Granite Falls • 360-691-3395 • info@pacapride.com

Step aside, cows and goats: The fluffy stars of the show at Paca Pride Guest Ranch (pacaprideguestranch.com), just outside Granite Falls, are Huacaya alpacas. A herd of 20 of these adorable camelids roams the hills that surround the farm. Guests here learn all about the practice of sustainable alpaca ranching with a guided tour, and they get to partake in petting and treat-feeding galore. You might get to help move the herds, or if time your visit right, you could even catch the annual shearing event, which takes place midsummer.

The accommodations are part of the fun. Families can glamp it up with a stay at the übercool heated guest yurt or rough it with tent camping on the grounds. Tents are available to rent if you don’t have your own! Restrooms and showers are available right outside the main building, and an additional guest room inside sleeps two, ideal for bringing the grandparents along. A covered outdoor kitchen area with a cooktop stove, sink and grills make family cookouts easy. The ranch makes the perfect base camp to explore the history-rich