A Bit About Lant Hill Farm
Your host, Donald Previtali, purchased Lant Hill Farm in 1971 for its fields that had been previously tended by the Lant family, with traditional crop rotation and limited use of chemicals. Don farms the land and manages his animals through the practices of sustainable agriculture. This includes a variety of organic and holistic farming techniques that support biodiversity and encourage the continued health of the local ecosystem.
Don’s parents soon followed to their son’s farm to enjoy their retirement. Jamie, the fine artist, designed and built their contemporary-style house, which is now used as the Bed and Breakfast. As the second home on the property, it is set away from the barns and original farmhouse. Helen, the landscape artist, designed the surrounding land to capture the beauty of flowers, trees, food, and water to please the soul wherever you look.
Sue married Don and moved to the farm in 1980s. Their sons, David and Paul, arrived soon thereafter. Besides co-hosting your visits, Sue has a full time, off-the-farm job as an adult educator. You will most likely find her growing your food (and pulling weeds) during your stay. David attends Graduate School in the Albany (NY) area, and Paul owns and operates High Gear Cyclery in Avon, CO.
Breakfast at Lant Hill Farm
Your visit to Lant Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast comes with a wonderful morning meal, homemade especially for you!
Your breakfast will be made with only the finest ingredients, many grown organically on our farm. You will enjoy fresh eggs, fruit jams & jellies from our berry patches and orchards, a colorful variety of potatoes dug from our gardens, and flavorful herbs picked fresh on their way to the table. Syrup for your pancakes is boiled here each winter-into-spring from the sugar maple trees surrounding the old farmhouse and up into the woodlot.
When we need to supplement the foods we grow, we support the local business people in the area who have the same, high quality standards that Don looks for when planning your meal.
We can prepare Gluten Free and Vegan breakfasts upon request. Don attended a Gluten Free Cooking program at the Culinary Institute of America and is looking forward to wowing you with the delicious recipes up his sleeve.
Mother Nature
Mother Nature shares generously with us at Lant Hill Farm. Below are some of the many of the experiences to be had during your visit.
VIEWS FROM THE GUEST HOUSE
All guest rooms face east to the sunrise and Green Mountains of Vermont. It’s a clear, 20 mile vista to Manchester’s Mount Equinox. Summer, spring, winter or fall, the view is always breathtaking.
BIRDS & BIRDWATCHING
Throughout the day birds come to the feeders on the property. Guests have shared breakfast with hummingbirds, admired Golden Eagles over the closest ridge, and added rare bird breeds to their life-list in the woodlot. We own numerous birding books as well as binoculars for you to borrow.
OPEN SKY & THE STARS
With no other houses or city lights to dim the view, the dark sky holds more stars than you can count. We can help you identify some of the constellations and planets you’ll see. In August the Perseid meteor showers will astound you with their shooting stars.
NATURE & WILDLIFE
It is common to wake up to a white tailed deer family in the fields to the east. For those with a discerning eye, large groups of turkeys can be found roaming the farm. You might see lots of cute, small game like rabbits, chipmunks, fox and squirrels (both red and gray). We offer binoculars to those who enjoy getting up close and personal. We’re still waiting to see a moose or bear on the property.
FARM TASKS
Life on the farm is always busy. Sue can always find something that needs your help. Specific projects and activities vary depending on the season.
- Spring – From the tapping of the trees in the snow, to boiling sap down to syrup, and bottling as the early spring crocus bloom, sugar season is a busy and sociable time of year. We welcome you to forage fiddleheads or early nettles while we prepare garden beds for the coming year.
- Summer – Help us harvest this season’s bounty of berries as we prepare to make jams and jellies to be served to guests throughout the season. Kids big and small always delight in digging potatoes on the farm, too! We grow dozens of varieties – all colors and shapes.
- Fall – Have you heard of hardy kiwi? Helen planted this tiny, frost-resistant fruit, and we always appreciate their being ripe towards the end of the season. Guests have seasonal opportunity to sample the apple varieties on the farm.
- Winter – There are still animals to feed on the farm in the winter, but this is the season to slow down. Guests have ample time and space to snowshoe, and we have the shoes!
