Nestled in the wide rolling hills of Battenkill Valley in the charming hamlet of Salem, New York is a pastoral getaway that upstate farmstay dreams are made of.
Blind Buck Valley Farmstead is a 200-acre working farm and accommodation run by three sisters, Sarah Parker, Nicole Ives and Cindy D’Andrea, whose parents originally purchased the historic circa-1795 farmhouse, three picturesque red barns, and its 4.6 acres as a retreat from New York City in 1985. In 1993, when the family realized the nearby dairy farm could no longer be sustained, they put a bid in on the farm and ended up incorporating its 180 acres into their property, thereby preserving the historic legacy and privacy of the entire valley that surrounds the Farmstead.
Today, over 30 years later, Blind Buck Valley Farmstead welcomes countless families and groups of friends to the countryside for quiet weekends for relaxing and recharging, peaceful weeklong stays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthday celebrations, weddings, and more.
In addition to the spacious, light-filled five-bedroom Farmhouse styled in cozy antique and vintage decor (and complete with in-ground swimming pool and Jacuzzi), guests can get a heaping helping of the peaceful rural life at the family’s newly added Glampground, which combines the simplicity of camping with a whole host of luxurious included amenities. All you have to do is bring yourself, your family or friends, and the enthusiasm for having a good time.
For $500 per night, you can book the entire Glampground for your yourself and your party. The booking comes with four tents that can accommodate up to 16 people, a dining and kitchen area outfitted with all the cookware, grilling accessories, and dishware you’ll need, a pantry with essential cooking staples like seasonings, coffee, and sugar, refrigerated food storage, and a complimentary dozen eggs fresh from the farm’s chicken coop.
The site also includes a shower and bath area with eco-friendly toiletries, picnic tables, a fire pit, complimentary firewood, a gas grill with propane included, family friendly games like cornhole, and hammocks and Adirondack chairs for lazing the day away.
You can fill up your time at Blind Buck Valley Farmstead just by soaking in the sights and sounds of the surrounding nature and farm life. Visit the friendly goats, chickens, pigs, donkeys, and horses on a farm tour, gather fresh eggs from the chicken coop, pick veggies from the garden, take a wagon ride, or just take a walk through the peaceful pine grove that surrounds the Glampground.
Want to get out and about? Head into the center of Salem to the famed Battenkill Creamery, Salem ArtWorks, the Fort Salem Theater, which is newly reopened and celebrating its 50th season with shows like Grease this summer, and more. Hit the waters of the nearby Batten Kill for kayaking, tubing, swimming, and fishing, or take a day-trip to Saratoga, Lake George, and southern Vermont, all less than a 35-minute drive away.
With so much to enjoy both on the farm and off, it’s no wonder that Blind Buck Valley Farmstead has become a favorite getaway to reconnect to nature, family, and friends that you’ll cherish for years to come.
