Valley Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast is a family-owned farm that has been a bed and breakfast for the past 8 years and is run by Don and Dorothy Harms. The farm is located in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, and has been on Don's side of the family for the past four generations, making the property over 135 years old. It was primarily a dairy farm but is now operated as a beef farm and a bed and breakfast. There are three bedrooms available for lodging with a complimentary breakfast made fresh by the owners every day using resources from their farm or the local community. Don and Dorothy offer activities to their guests including ATV tours of the large farm, workshops on how to can various farm-grown goods, and make pies upon request from guests. The property is located near many attractions including state parks, hiking trails, wineries, local farms, and cheese factories.
Valley Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast is located in the rural town of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, and sits on 255 acres. The owners are Don and Dorothy Harm, who added the feature of a bed and breakfast to their family farm after their children went off to college. The barn is red, while the main house is tan-colored, with brown shutters and a porch spanning the whole front of the house. In total, the farm home is three stories, with only two stories available to the patrons. The second floor is where the rooms for lodging can be found.
There are three total rooms available for booking, with the Poppy Room being the most popular. This room has a queen-size bed, with its own private bath, a view of the valley, and a sofa pull-out bed offering sleeping space for an additional guest. The Lilac and Sage Rooms are the two other units offered as options to guests. These two rooms share a bathroom and a hallway with each other. The Lilac Room has a queen bed and day bed while The Sage Room can either have a king or split into two twin beds. All three rooms include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with Netflix, and air conditioning.
Amenities offered at Valley Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast include linens and luxury bathrobes, wireless internet, a hospitality nook (includes microwave and refrigerator), complimentary water and soda, a lower patio with lounge chairs to view the night sky, a swing and slide playset for kids, and access to hiking on country roads and field paths. The owners also offer packages to patrons such as the celebration packages which include: Birthdays, Anniversary, "I Love You" or "Just Because", and Amish Homemade Chocolate Candies.
The Amish package includes the choice of chocolate cashew, peanuts, or toffee, a bottle of wine from Narrows Creek Winery, or a bouquet of fresh flowers from local Amish flower farmers. The option to add an "Extended Stay" package is allowed and will give the option for extending three more nights at a 10% discount, other special rates are offered for business professionals in the area for extended periods of time.
The common area is located on the first floor of the home for those staying at the bed and breakfast. Rooms that can be found on the bottom floor are The Sun Room (where breakfast is served every day) and the living room. Access to the front porch is also on the first floor, where the option to sit and enjoy a view of the surrounding farm is available to guests.
The owners conduct guided tours across the acreage, and free-range roaming is allowed on a select acre of land. The guided tours are on ATVs that navigate around the 255-acre property to see what a farm is like, but these tours are only available with advance reservation. Exploration of the pastures and the fields are the main focus of the tour with the secondary goal being to meet the farm animals, such as cows and chickens. There are multiple ponds and streams on the property, with the option of fishing at the one across the road. Roaming the farm includes things to discover such as the gardens where flowers can be seen and the in-season berries, fruits, and vegetables. Other activities include meeting the animals that live on the property, including goats, farm dogs, and cats, as well as the cows and chickens that can be discovered on the tours.
The breakfast provided while staying at Valley Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast is mostly produced from the farm itself and the locals in town, such as eggs laid by chickens, the meat that comes from the cows and pigs, and locally made cheese. The owner's motto, "Farm to table is a way of life here," is showcased in the breakfast they feed their guests every day. The normal options given to guests during their stay include fruit and yogurt cups, egg-based entrees, buttermilk waffles, and baked German pancakes. Accommodations for those who have food allergies or restrictions are offered by the owners to meet the needs of the patron.
Attractions surrounding Valley Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast include nearby state parks. The two closest state parks are Mirror Lake, which is a 26-minute drive, and Devil's Lake, which is a 35-minute drive. Other attractions to explore around the area are Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin, Narrows Creek, Winery, House on the Rock Spring Green, Circus World Museum, and the International Crane Foundation. There is also access to local dining, but most places are closed on Monday and Tuesdays. One common recommendation given by the owners is J's Pub and Grill, which is one of the few restaurants open seven days of the week. Other dining options in town are Deli Bean, Aunt Ozies Restaurant, Branding Iron Bar and Grill. The owners also say, "If you come to Wisconsin you need to try a Wisconsin Friday night fish fry."
Farm life is the focus and overall theme of Valley Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast. One of the owners' goals for their bed and breakfast is to educate the general public one by one in the behind-the-scenes happenings of farm life and how food is produced. This is accomplished through the breakfast served every day and can also be seen by the activities offered to guests as well. Upon request, the owners are willing to do workshops to teach heritage cooking skills, canning, and pie-making workshops. A store is located on the farm, providing guests the opportunity to take the farm life home with them through the meat from the cows on the farm, cheese, soaps, syrups from local farmers, to the owner's homemade jams.
According to Don and Dorothy, the owners, the atmosphere of their farm and town is that of friendliness. Don and Dorothy's favorite part of the job is getting to meet new people and show them what their life is like on the farm. Guest have also commented on the innkeepers' demeanor and attentiveness. One review left by a past guest says, "Dorothy and Don Harms make you feel part of the family at this bed & breakfast providing a nice, clean family environment." Other patrons have also reported to Don and Dorothy that the rural town is "friendly and inviting." One different factor of the town is that there are Amish communities nearby, which offers the option to experience more cultures for those who are interested.
Due to Valley Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast being an operational farm, those who choose to stay at the inn are not permitted to smoke or bring their own pets. This is to ensure the safety of the animals on the farm, as well as the animals that would have been brought onto the property. There are no regulations on a curfew or quiet time, mostly owing to the fact that the owners have not experienced any patrons who were not inherently respectful of common sleeping hours.
Valley Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast has a prominent history in the Harms family. The property has been in the family for four generations and has been the family farm for the past 135 years. The farm continues in the family through Don and his wife Dorothy, who are the current owners. Valley Springs Farm has operated as a dairy farm as well as producing meat from the cows. Not only does the farm act as a job for the Harm family; it's a way of life that Don grew up on. With a legacy going back over a hundred years, Don and Dorothy are left with the feeling that "...it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the land."
For the past eight years, Don and Dorothy have opened their home and farm up to the public as a getaway from the busy demands of life and as a way to educate others about the farm lifestyle. The farm was originally a dairy farm, but since retiring from milking cows two years ago it now serves as a grass-fed beef farm. Guests report that they are astonished by the amount of effort and hours the owners put into making the farm run efficiently and smoothly.
There have been no recent changes to the property besides adding the private bath upstairs once their kids moved out of the home. The transition from a family home to a bed and breakfast was a smooth and easy transition for Don and Dorothy.
E4681 County Road S Reedsburg WI 53959 United States
Reedsburg, Wisconsin
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Don & Dorothy Harms
