Special Events at a Special Place

It is an easy drive from The Cottage to Shelburne Farms. You can go one of two ways. You can drive north to Essex and take a short Ferry Ride over to Charlotte or you can head south and go over the Bridge to Vermont and head north towards Burlington. We usually choose to make a circle unless the day is so gorgeous that you just can't resist a ferry ride in both directions. That was the sort of day we had when we headed to the Farm.

We got up and had a nice breakfast with coffee on the deck before heading to Essex to catch the ferry. We arrived at Shelburne Farms and decided to take the tour that included the Main House, which is an operating Inn and Restaurant and the Cheese Factory, Bakery and Barn with all the babies. Before we went anywhere we wandered through the gift store, sampling some of their incredible cheese and baked goods and of course had to purchase a couple souvenirs along with some awesome bread for dinner.

We sat outside and waited for the tour and soaked in the peaceful surrounding. Our tour guide and transportation arrived and was pulled of course by a hefty tractor, perfect to set the mood. We rode through the farm winding through forests and meadows, we saw baby cows with their moms in the pasture and got the history about the property and buildings along the way and then we made a turn and out before us was a magnificent main house. It was breath-taking.

The tour of the house - now the Inn at Shelburne Farms - was amazing and the gardens and view of the lake made it picture perfect. We decided that we all wanted to come back to dine at the restaurant one day.

As we left the house tour we headed to where the cheese is processed, the bakery and the home to all the small farm animals. Here we stopped at the cart and ordered lunch – Each having a different but equally delicious variation of a grilled cheese sandwich. I highly recommend grabbing your lunch here.

After admiring the babies we decided to skip the tram and stroll back to the entrance. It was a delightful walk that was the end of a wonderful day.

For more information about Shelburne Farms, visit their website. http://www.shelburnefarms.org/

Shelburne Farms, according to their website is a membership-supported, nonprofit environmental education center and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont. Their mission is to cultivate a conservation ethic. Schoolchildren, adults, educators and families come here to learn, while casual visitors may enjoy the walking trails, children’s farmyard, inn, restaurant, property tours and special events. The farm serves as an educational resource by practicing rural land use that is environmentally, economically and culturally sustainable.

Shelburne Farms was created in 1886 by William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb as a model agricultural estate.  In 1972, it was founded as an educational nonprofit. Our nearly 400 acres of sustainably managed woodlands received Green Certification from the Forest Stewardship Council in 1998. Our grass-based dairy supports a herd of 125 purebred, registered Brown Swiss cows. Their milk is transformed into our award-winning farmhouse cheddar cheese right here on the property.