Verde Cottage

Hello farm friends, hoping your 2011 is in full swing and your goals and resolutions are on track.We've been somewhat hesitant about putting our goals to paper this year. It's a lot to think about, "where do you want to be by 12-31-11?" We have so many plans in the works and its easy to set yourself up for failure by taking on too many things at once. One of our goals has been to rent our cottage to vacationers and those needing a special getaway. This is a goal we are fully prepared to reach and the first one we're moving on. 

Verde Cottage was built in the 1930s about 15 years after the main house was built. By the time we purchased the property in 2007, it was home to a wonderful family of raccoons.Yes, raccoons and they were smart enough to make their nest in one of the bedrooms.Three men, including my husband said bulldoze it. You know how men are about things like this, no vision. My mother-in-law and I saw something else, we saw a fully restored little cottage amongst all the rubble, rusted tub and mess. So, who do you think won that battle? Yes, the women.

We started restoring the cottage in 2008. We took it all the way to the studs but kept the layout intact. As we tore out walls we found interesting things, like newspapers from the 30s with pre-WWII articles , which  were used as insulation, old silverware and letters. There was an old claw foot tub that needed repair, and an old mantle with layers and layers of paint. Again, the men said, "get rid of them." I even had a tub restorer come look at the tub and he said it was irreparable. Well, they were all wrong. The tub is gorgeous and a friend refinished it with a product we found at a home improvement store. It's as good as new. The mantle is down to the original wood and and it is beautiful.

So, after all the restoring, painting, decorating and loving we did to this upscale raccoon shack, Verde Cottage was born. I decorated it in my idea of cottage style and continue to do so today. You're never really finished decorating, right? The colors are soft and pastel with vintage pops of hand-me-downs throughout. I love it and love the coziness it exudes. We've had many farm guests spend the night in our cottage and we want to open it up to others. It has two bedrooms (one full and one queen size bed), a living room, full kitchen, bathroom and sun room.

Verde Cottage is available for rental at $100 a night during the week, and $185 for a weekend.

We also offer special seasonal packages, such as The Romance Renewed Package-including champagne or wine, fresh fruits and cheese, romantic candles, bubble bath and delivered to your door, my husband's special chocolate gravy and flat bread for breakfast.

Others include:The Spa Weekend Package-with a trip to Picasso's Salon and Spa for massages, facials and mani-pedis.

Back To The Farm Package-including fresh egg delivery with all the fixings for you to cook your own farm breakfast, time working with the animals and in the barn as well as your own Easter egg hunt collecting eggs for the day and a couple dozen to take home.

We love our small farm and want to share it with others so if you are ever traveling our way and want to set a spell, take your shoes off, just give us a call at 888-630-3828 or e-mail us at verdefarms@gmail.com .We'd be honored.