Unique Camping Experiences: The Charm of the Farm

“So, what’s been your favorite camping spot?” We’ve heard this question a lot. And, each time, I find it impossible to answer. There have been so many wonderful campgrounds or overnight parking spots; each of which was memorable for different reasons.

Like many RVers, the Grand Tetons, Glacier National Park, and Yellowstone standout as memorable. But, there are also those surprising gems that you find when you least expect it.  For us, it was the Blue Lake RV Resort in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.   And, of course, we’ve had our share of unusual parking/camping spots.

When we first started out, I couldn’t believe we would actually stay overnight in a Wal-Mart or Flying J parking lot. Now, it seems so normal to pull into a Wal-Mart and sleep, no? We’ve done some urban stealth parking in several towns. We even stayed on the grounds of a former mental institution/prison where our “backyard” was filled with hundreds of unmarked graves. That last one was by far our creepiest overnight spot (although there were a few Wal-Mart experiences that that come close to holding the creepy title.)  One of our favorite (and most non-traditional) campsite, however, occurred last summer.

In April 2010, we settled for the summer at a campground in New Hampshire to prepare for the birth of our first child. While there, we joined a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm where we received a basket of fresh fruits and vegetables each week. We became friends with the owners of the farm and at the end of our summer were invited to stay at the farm--after we left our campground which turned out to be a not-so-pleasant place. What started as just a one-night stay on the farm turned into two weeks.  They let us park in their driveway, hook up to their power, and experience the farm life, a life we’ve been contemplating for ourselves in the near future.

We awoke every morning to the quacking sounds of Click and Clack, the farm ducks, who waddled out of the barn and past our trailer each morning. We fed our food scraps to the pig each night. I sat out on the homemade swing with my newborn daughter and watched the chickens freely roam the land. We learned that corn eaten right off the stalk is the sweetest taste ever. Our farm hosts took the time to teach my husband how to process a chicken, a valuable lesson for one who is interested in farming. (They invited me to get in on the lesson but I, well, I chickened out...this time).  My husband had the opportunity to help out with other farm tasks, an opportunity he had long awaited. And, most importantly, we learned that a fussy infant finds a tractor ride soothing.

Throughout our farmstay, we continued to receive our plentiful basket of fruits and vegetables, which included bonus items such as recipes, bread and fresh cut flowers. We were often invited to dinner for a farm fresh meal and wonderful conversation and then our evenings ended with incredible sunset views over the beautiful New England farm.

While farm life has always been of interest to us, our first-hand experience was invaluable and encouraged us to continue our farm dreams. This summer as we get back out on the road, in addition to campgrounds, Wal-Marts, Flying Js, and the like, we intend to find some more farms on which to park our home.  Through organizations such as World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, we can locate farms throughout the U.S. that are offering food, places to stay, and an educational experience in organic farming, in exchange for volunteer opportunities on the farm.  (Please note, that while WWOOF can be an excellent source for locating farmstay opportunities, not all WWOOF farms allow RVs.)  Another source is Farmstay US, a site that specializes in agritourism. This site also allows you to specifically search for those farms that have camping opportunities.

If you are looking for a unique camping experience this summer for your family, consider a farmstay. Support an organic farm, eat local, and have a great summer!

In June 2009, Chris and Lani sold the majority of their belongings, bought an Airstream travel trailer and said goodbye to Virginia and hello to the open road. Lani thought this adventure would only last three months. She was wrong...thankfully. They continued their travels into 2010, welcomed a baby girl in July 2010, and are currently spending another winter in Florida with family before heading back out onto the road in April. Follow their travels at http://aluminumbliss.com/.