Miles Smith Farm is a working cattle farm just outside Concord, New Hampshire (the capital). After…read moremany a Google search for a unique, scenic getaway, we somehow found an Airbnb on a farm with Highland "coos" (Scottish cows). I didn't know I could be so enamored by cows, but waking up in the morning to see these magical beasts outside our window was breathtaking. For my husband, it was a trip down memory lane. He lived in Scotland for 5 years and this was his first time seeing Scottish Highland cows in the United States.
Airbnb states that the 2-story apartment can fit 7 guests, but I think we brought just the right amount of people - me, my husband, son, and mother. There are 2 bedrooms located upstairs with a child gate installed at the top of the stairs. There were also many more toys than we were expecting, which was super fun for Elijah. In between the two bedrooms, there was a kitchen and three little nooks for reading or playing. I will note that the "cribs" provided are pack 'n plays, so you will need to set them up when you arrive. Because we arrived at 9:30pm, Elijah had fallen asleep in the car. By the time we changed his diaper and set up the pack 'n play, he was wide awake and skeptical of the new room we placed him in. He sat up, holding his stuffed koala, Matilda, for a good 30 minutes on high alert before allowing sleep to take over. Meanwhile, my husband, my mother, and I went to the living room downstairs to drink wine and watch "Footloose"...a ridiculous movie that, as it turned out, none of us had ever fully viewed.
The view from both bedrooms is of rugged farmland, Highland cows, and mountains in the background. It's a gorgeous reminder that you've traveled far away from your suburban home to reconnect with nature, if only for a few days. We took Elijah out of his crib and brought him to the toy nook. For a boy who is wary of new things, he took to the new space quite nicely and played for a good portion of the morning. As for other morning rituals, the kitchen had a regular coffee maker as well as a Keurig, and potable tap water from the owners' well. We brought a case of bottled water, but that turned out to be unnecessary.
When we stepped outside, we saw a little farm store right across the dirt path and chickens all around. Chickens are great for toddlers because they are kind of the same size. Elijah chased chickens throughout the weekend. Turn right and start to wander to where the animals live. There is a cage where 2 pigs live, a section with a donkey and goats, a yard for horses and a few cows, and then large swaths of farmland where most of the cows graze. The female cows (and young bulls) are on one side of a fenced in area, and the fully grown bulls are on the other side. Beware, most of these animals are kept behind electric fences. We didn't let Elijah stray too far.
The bulls were closest to our house, and so we made a few friends quickly. They would greet us by the electric fence for a nice pet or a hunk of baguette. David quite enjoyed feeding the bulls baguettes. He said their tongues were like dinosaurs' and felt he was in Jurassic Park.
Not everyone may like this part since the cows were so lovely, but as I said, this is a working farm. Our second night, we grilled up some really nice steak that cut like butter (sorry!). We also bought fresh eggs and ice cream from the farm store.
As idyllic as the scenery was, I think our two-day stay was just the right amount of time. We arrived on a Thursday night and spent all day Friday and Saturday on the farm, leaving Saturday evening. Because the cattle are behind fences, there is limited area open to guests, so this isn't a place for miles-long nature walks.
It is also worthwhile to take a trip into downtown Concord. It's an easy drive (ask the owners how to get there rather than relying on your phone) and is a clean, sweet capital city. If you're lucky, you may overhear someone say "Wal Maht" and really feel like you've traveled to another state.
I would be remiss to not mention the pleasant 3 and a half hour drive as well. (Everything seems to be 3 and a half hours from our house.) We took almost no highways and got to drive through the Green Mountains in Vermont, pleasant small towns, and other scenic passes. We'd been locked up in our house for so many months, it felt nice just to drive farther and farther away from it.
This short getaway was rejuvenating in a way. We felt far removed from our everyday lives and got to connect with beautiful, mystical animals. For a farm stay, some may choose a closer drive. After all, there is plenty of farmland in upstate New York. However, we were quite happy with our choice to travel to New Hampshire.
