The Horse Shoe Farm brings to life the best of country living!
I had the chance to live on a farm during part of my childhood and discovered it was my happy place. Now that I live in the city, getting back to the country restores my soul. So when I discovered The Horse Shoe Farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina, I jumped at the chance to visit and expose my kids to the joy of spending time among the pastures where life moves a little slower. But this isn’t just a farm: It’s an 85-acre boutique resort set on a former working cattle ranch that now offers a restaurant, spa, pool and other amenities. Despite its reimagining, the property’s agricultural roots shine through in the rolling landscape, animal barn and farmhouse-style accommodations that range from estate homes to cottages and suites that sleep a total of 75 guests.
We checked into the 3,000- square-foot Willow House and spent three days taking walks, dipping our toes in the saltwater pool and hot tub, feeding carrots to the horses and watching the sun set over the Blue Ridge Mountains from our spacious deck. Each morning we awoke to the rooster crowing and took a stroll to the complimentary breakfast service at The Silo Cookhouse where my favorite order became the Sunrise Scramble with quinoa, spinach, tomato, farm eggs, feta, shallot and roasted sweet potatoes. Dinner at the same cozy on-site restaurant, included cornmeal-dusted North Carolina trout, handmade pasta and steaks sourced from the nearby French Broad Cattle Farm.
Pre- and post-meals, my kids loved sitting in the swinging hammocks under the trees and watching the chickens and roosters chase each other. They also spent hours on the pickleball court and at the pool. Their absolute favorite hangout, however, was the Farm House game room where they challenged each other to rounds of ping-pong and shuffleboard, played old records and board games, and my youngest became friends with an antique wood rocking horse. While they enjoyed their newly adopted playroom I made a visit to The Stable Spa, a converted horse barn where treatment rooms are former stalls, each named for the horse that used to inhabit it. I received a heavenly 60-minute wellness massage that I topped off with lounging time in the relaxation area, cup of tea in hand, taking in views of the farm grounds through a glass roll-up door at one end of the barn. The Stable Spa’s equestrian-style setting and focus on restorative wellness made me want to luxuriate all day, but I found myself wondering what my family might be up to. I was eager to soak up all the time I could with them in this special setting.
I’ve been to many upscale resorts and one-of-a-kind boutique properties, but what struck me the most about The Horse Shoe Farm was its ability to cater to guests while also leaving them alone to enjoy the property as if it were their own. By the end of our visit, my older kids were roaming the grounds solo, visiting animals and helping their little sister make wildflower bouquets in the pasture. It made me nostalgic for my childhood on the farm—in the very best way.
THE HORSE SHOE FARM
thehorseshoefarm.com
@thehorseshoefarm
