When most farms for kids were closed for Spring break, this on was open. My granddaughters loved…read moreit (7&3). We spent two hours snd they weren't bore once. From the goats to donkeys we had a blast. Thank you.

Fun. Tons of cute animals. Good gifts. Great Valentine experience plus good gifts in the gift shop!read more

Beautiful place, beautiful people. We got married here in March 2021 and the second I saw this…read morevenue, I knew it was the place that would help my fairytale in my head a reality. Chiara is amazing, sweet, and so caring. She made the whole process of planning a wedding during Covid that much easier. I was always able to reach out to her with any questions and never had to wait long for a response. There is not a bad thing I can say about Windy Hill Farm or the family that runs it. The farmhouse that you get ready in has a bridal suite upstairs with its own bathroom. The lighting in bridal suit is PERFECT! You can also stay over night after the wedding and I highly recommend that. The bed was like sleeping on clouds and they made breakfast in the morning that was delicious. I could go on forever talking about this venue, but if you are trying to decide about booking them...DO IT! P.S. If you get married in the spring they might have baby goats :) and who doesn't love baby goats?!?!

I had my doubts when our daughter and son in law picked Windy Hill Farm for their wedding venue and…read moreNovember 3 for the day, but it was a lovely event. The service from the owners family and staff was wonderful, especially young Will who ferried us to the ceremony itself via golf cart. We enjoyed an excellent catered vegan dinner for 102 as the cows and goats sometimes wandered over to take a look. I'd advise buying a few blankets because they were a big hit with the folks seated too far from the heat lamps! Such a beautiful night!

Botanist and Barrel is worth your time for so many reasons:…read more 1. Cider that doesn't taste like it was produced by a blind platypus with an addiction to sugar. 2. The drive is beautiful- even if it might be long, depending on your starting point. 3. It's a peaceful, lovely spot where you can relax and hang out. With or without friends, this place has serenity etched into its bones. 4. Service is knowledgeable and prompt. But if you're claustrophobic don't wait at the bar indoors. Parking is plentiful, there are outdoors shades, birdsong, and again- cider. They also have beer and wine available. Bring your dog, bring your friends, bring your thirst. They're all welcome here.

Such an incredible establishment!…read more North Carolina has a bit of my heart when it comes to establishments such as the Botanist and Barrel. Both a natural winery and natural cidery, this place has something for everyone. With an INCREDIBLY laid back experience in mind, I recommend you visit this site on a nice day, bring a picnic and enjoy a selection of thier best offerings in thier back yard. My wife and I recently came for their anniversary celebration, where they had wine sampling, live music, and a pizza oven. With such a great space, such great beverages, and fun music, there is nowhere I would have rather been. Now let's talk about their beverages. We had samples of their wines, and we also bought a flight to ensure we sampled the full spectrum. All of their wines are made using the natural method, which means that they have exactly one ingredient - grapes. Their wine brand goes by the name of DeFi, and these are all NC and VA-procured grapes, fermented and bottled on-site. I especially loved each of their Pet Nats along with the Piquette Rouge. These wines are all bone dry and bring in some wanted natural notes, which I love in natural wines. Oh, and their ciders! I had never heard of a Pet Nat cider, but now I am all in! All deliciously dry and complex with fun added fruit flavors. I am especially fond that they use the only North American tropical fruit - the Paw Paw in their ciders. The produce used in their ciders is harvested locally as well, and with the amazing combination of different apples used in their ciders, each is unique and delicious. They also have an amazing little market with local specialties, which is based on an honor payment system (something I have rarely seen). If you are anywhere in the Raleigh-Durham area, I highly recommend stopping by and enjoying the amazing offerings here. You will not regret stopping by.

I had an amazing time picking strawberry's with my mom! They were delicious and the people were so…read morenice. It also helped that today was a really pretty day!

Great spot! Friendly. Peaceful in the later evening in May when it's not too hot…read more Strawberries-a-plenty.

This review is only reflective of the day that we went, so maybe it could be better?…read more My friends and I had been super excited to go strawberry-picking, and Whitted Bowers was one of the farms we were wavering between (the other was DJ's Berry Patch, haven't been yet). However, we were a little disappointed because even though the pick-your-own season had only opened 3 days before, the fields were pretty much picked clean of the ripe, juicy berries we had been imagining. In hindsight, we should have called ahead to ask about the selection. That said, it was a very peaceful farm with a few barefoot kids, braying goats, and rows and rows of standard and "experimental" strawberries. We still had fun and picked a decent amount of almost ripe berries (good enough for baking!) at $2.50/pound. And the few ripe berries we did get were yums. The honor system is nice, so make sure you bring cash!

In college, I took a Cosmo mag quiz that was supposed to measure one's relationship faithfulness…read more One of the questions asked if you came upon a field of luscious, red strawberries whether you would stop and eat any. If Cosmo is to be believed, today's gluttonous visit to Whitted Bowers (picture me with red juice dripped onto my shirt-front, scooping up berries into my mouth as much as into my bucket) is a clear indication that Phil should watch his back. Down a dirt road, there are about 50 rows of organic strawberries, labeled and divided into three sections. The first section (apparently "delicacies") was recently out-of-season, the second type was ripe for the picking, and the third was also available (supposedly best paired with chocolate, so I'm guessing they are tarter). The farm provides different sizes of baskets for picking, and you weigh the total, subtract the weight of the basket, and pour into your own container to take home. Out there among kids in wellies, barefoot grown-ups, and a couple of visitors' dogs roaming freely, we filled nearly a whole bucket. The cost is $3.00/lb for less than 20lbs, and $2.50/lb for more than 20. This seemed a little steep; with some hunting, we found berries in good condition, but the patches were a little picked over. Of course, the season is nearly over -- the farm expects to close the you-pick option on 5/18, stating that the season started and will end earlier than usual this year. I thought the coolest thing about this place is the honor system they do payment on. We weighed our berries, pulled out our cash, and plopped it in the box they had out on the table. These days, you don't see that kind of trust very often, and being out in their bucolic fields under blue skies ... well ... it was nice to spend a moment or two in a time gone by!

I've loved using this CSA. They offer organic fruits and vegetables, and the Wednesday pick-up on…read moreFranklin Street is very easy. The variety is always excellent, and you can usually expect strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries- unlike a lot of other CSAs. They also have a flower option you can add to your tab which is nice. The small share was a great size for two people, but could be used for 3-4 people too.

This is such a quaint, peaceful little farm! It's not far from Winston-Salem and perfectly located…read moreif you're heading back to the city after hiking around Hanging Rock State Park. From the moment we arrived, we could tell it's a place that is truly loved and cared for. The owners walked over to greet us, showing us the short-haired sheep, goats, donkeys, runner ducks, turkeys, and three beautiful Great Pyrenees dogs--all of whom seem well loved and completely at home. The owner shared that he's been here since 1992 (a former city kid who always dreamed of having a farm like his grandparents did), and that lifelong dream truly shows in every detail. When he invited us into the store, it felt like discovering a treasure chest. It's small, but packed with thoughtfully curated goodies: handmade soaps from multiple local makers, a variety of local honeys, fresh goat cheese produced on the farm, Amish butter from Ohio, Amish jams, goat-la-to (a goat-milk gelato that's unique to this farm), a variety of meats, candles made by local Boy Scouts, Christmas ornaments, and books and toys for children. What really stood out was how deeply the owner knows and loves everything he sells. He happily shared stories, explained the different textures of the cheeses, and talked through how he would cook each type of meat. We picked up some cheese, lamb, and goat-la-to--which we ended up finishing on the drive because it was so unique and delicious, like shaved ice topped with creamy milk and vanilla. We cannot recommend visiting this farm enough--not only for the fairly priced, high-quality products, but also for its strong commitment to supporting other local businesses (all the products are clearly marked with their sources) and, most of all, the genuine passion behind it. So much of the space is thoughtfully designed with children and families in mind. When we noticed the turkeys, the owner explained that they aren't "commercial"; they keep a few simply because kids enjoy seeing them, along with the runner ducks. The baby goats are brought out occasionally so visitors can pet them, and it's obvious how gently and thoughtfully the animals are treated--the goats clearly loved being petted and even ran over to us. This little farm is the what I think of when I see someone pours heart and lifelong passion into their work. Highly recommend anyone with an interest in farm animals, dairy products, or local goods to stop by and see it!!

the absolute cutest little farm with the sweetest owner and cute little goats it is a must visit…read morespot!

We traveled four hours so my daughter could see a capybara, and the experience exceeded our…read moreexpectations. The farm is beautifully maintained with a diverse range of animals, including many exotic birds. The owner and staff were exceptionally welcoming and knowledgeable. The capybara encounter was a highlight--being able to feed and interact one-on-one made it truly special. Highly recommend. 10/10.

For some reason, a reel of a capybara from this place showed up in my Instagram feed. After reading…read moreabout this place on their internet place, we thought it would be a fun half-day trip from us. It's out there, but your GPS should be able to direct you. It's confusing at first because you pass a small parking lot, which is actually the parking lot for the capybara area. Keep driving and you arrive at the main entrance. We followed signs for admission expecting it to be in a building or something but it ended up being two people sitting at a table. We got two regular admissions, and they didn't give us a sticker or wristband or anything. I guess you do get a wristband if you pay extra for the capybara experience. Kind of odd since anyone can just walk around and they wouldn't know. We took a photo of their map and checked out all the areas. The animals are cool, and some are wandering around in open areas, even though they aren't really approachable. There was a food truck selling hot dogs, and the place also sells feed cups and gem mining kits (nobody was doing that on the day we visited). It's also cool that this place is an equine sanctuary. There are some shady areas but a lot of it is out in the open, so bring hats and sunscreen. We did see lots of exotic animals and enjoyed the experience overall.

Are you in need of a short respite from city life? Want to see some cute farm animals? Stop by…read moreBroken Spoke Farm with your family or solo. They have homemade ice cream for a sweet treat. Flavors change weekly. I especially like their salted chocolate flavor. Swirled is popular too. You get two flavors in a cup or cone with swirled. In the summer they have raspberry and blueberry. Yum. You can also purchase and take home some veggies to cook up at home for dinner. Adorable spot!

Magical working farm with a welcoming attitude. Public parking area for the soft serve shack and…read morefarm stand with plenty of picnic tables dotted around the bucolic farm pasture perimeter. You are also free to venture further to visit with the goats, chickens and sheep. Blueberry picking is offered I. The summer. The soft serve ice cream is some of the best I've had. Light, refreshing and inventive flavor combinations that change weekly! Get the waffle cone!!!