Willet Ponds Farm, LLC in Todd, NC offers...More than a place to stay: an Appalachian farm experience. The Willet Nest is one of three great houses we rent on the farm. Check out the Old Farmhouse and the Pioneer Homestead too, to see which suits you best.
The Willet Nest is all about the view, and the secluded mountain setting that is exactly what the doctor ordered to push your reset button. The modern house, perched on the side of the mountain, offers beautiful views from the house and the deck as well as a secluded and quiet getaway for the entire family. All linens, towels, detergents, and soaps are provided, as well as wood for the fire pit. Both cabin and house have brand new AC and heating systems.
Just another mountain cabin with a view, you think? No. For starters, this one is surrounded by 1000+ undeveloped acres (including Elk Knob State Park) so you really are secluded in the wild. But as a bonus you get the farm down below, where you can interact with our farm animal favorites: Josephine the pot-bellied pig, Penelope the long-eared donkey, a herd of horses, an abundance of poultry, and our very friendly shepherd dogs. Watch our delightful farmhouse video to see the whole menagerie in action and to better understand what a visit could mean to you and yours (scroll down to 'Links to More Information').
To reach the Willet Nest you’ll drive right through the heart of the farm (slow down for the chickens!), then travel a half-mile driveway up the mountain through an enchanting forest. From the house you can walk out the front door and onto the 3-mile loop trail over our private mountainside, taking in awesome views of a 100-ft. waterfall cascade and of the valley below. After your hike, enjoy smores around the fire pit (firewood provided).
When you’re ready to come back down to the farm, plan on swimming or boating in our spring-fed mini lake, and fishing for trout to put dinner on the table (fishing poles provided, stocked trout sold by the pound). You can join us at feeding time to care for our poultry and gather fresh eggs, if you want. Some guests even opt to join in some of the farm chores for fun, be it raking up horse apples in the barn, or helping to harvest our red and golden delicious in the apple orchard.
Please note that the Willet Nest has a 1/2 mile private driveway that winds though the farm and up a steep mountainside. 4WD is advised during the winter months. And it is possible that the top of the driveway could become impassable (walkable only) in the event of a big winter storm.
The Willet Nest house comes along with a cute mother-in-law guest cottage, making it ideal for 2 couples or parents with older children who would think it neat to have a little house of their own. The cottage sleeps four, having a bathroom that separates 2 semi-private bedrooms, one with a deluxe Serta adjustable queen bed, the other with twin bunk beds for the younger kids. The house also sleeps four, featuring one large bedroom with a deluxe Nature's Rest queen bed and adjacent master bathroom, plus a futon for additional bed space in the living room . The living room and its view are large enough for all eight of you to share, plus there’s a tv (dish network) and dvd player for movie night.
The light airy kitchen has all the modern appliances and utensils you could want without taking you away from the view or the party. The kitchen doubles as a dining room, so the food need not travel far. Unless you care to eat out on the sun deck that wraps around the cottage—or at the shaded grill-out picnic table on the ground floor.
Willet Ponds Farm is 5 minutes from historic Todd (the famous general store and mercantile bakery), and the scenic New River (tubing, canoeing/kayaking/rafting, fishing, & swimming, not to mention easy bike riding along the river), 15 minutes to Elk Knob State Park, and only 20 minutes to either Boone or West Jefferson. From Boone you’ll have easy access to the ski slopes, Tweetsie, shopping in Blowing Rock, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Grandfather Mountain. But be sure to schedule in some down time to just enjoy the profound serenity of the mountains and that million-dollar view.
In addition to our horses, friendly dogs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, peacocks, pot-bellied pig, rabbits, donkey (and whatever else the cat drug home), we also live on this, our dream farm. We personally manage our rental houses, making them clean and comfortable, in hopes that you’ll feel that you’re staying in a home, not a generic rental cabin. We make sure to take care that you have everything you need, be it a cup of flour or freshly lain free-range eggs.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ve made room for you here, too.