Schmidt Farm: an interactive farm experience

My family had such a nice stay at Schmidt Farm. We were lucky enough to spend a long weekend with Karen, Paul, Abby and their 50 or so furry or feathered friends. Whether we were hiking in the woods, watching Karen shear sheep, or tagging along during morning feeding, we learned so much. What a memorable trip! I wish we were still there!

I asked the kids, "what was the best part of your summer?" The unanimous response was, "Preston!" 8 of us stayed comfortably in the farmhouse, a great base for exploring life in this part of Minnesota. Karen and Paul were phenomenal hosts, taking time to teach all of us about farming, from the friendly animals (for the youngsters) to the farm's history and basics of organic farming and sustainability (for the rest of us). Thank you for being the centerpiece of a fantastic vacation!

I honestly can’t say enough good things about our stay at the farm. Our four girls played outside from sun up to sun down everyday! They played with the many animals (especially the three cuddly kittens), helped with morning and evening chores, took goats and ponies for walks in the woods with Karen, and searched for fossils in the creek! Karen also gave our 11 year old a special treat by having her help make soap and lotions in her workshop. The house was beautiful and very comfortable! Plenty of beds for everyone, lovely newly remodeled bathrooms, and a large eat-in kitchen. Karen and Paul were such attentive and warm hosts. I cannot wait for our next trip back to the farm!

We traveled from Minneapolis with a 2 year old and 4 year old. We were joined by family with an 11 and 13 year old for one night, and a couple with 3 year old for our second 2 nights. The kids had an absolute blast. When we arrived, we were greeted with big smiles and a tour of farm animals. The hosts were so gracious, ready to teach about their farm, and ready to help with anything we needed. The house has a ton of sleeping room--2 beds in each of the 4 rooms. The style of the house is old-timey and charming (with the exception of the downstairs bathroom--which is beautiful, warm and modern). The property was so quiet. We had lots to do just being on the farm--hiking to the creek, searching for fossils in the woods, playing with the kittens, talking to the goats. We spent time at the fire pit and just hanging out in the yard, too. As we were driving away from the farm, my 4 year old said, "Mama, let's change our house into a farm! First, we can make the yard bigger!" Felt like this place truly gave my city kids an opportunity to engage in nature and interact with the farm. Thank you, Schmidts! We'll be back!

Paul and Karen are so gracious. This is a fabulous getaway. They have done such a wonderful job restoring the cute house. I highly recommend this for anyone that loves to get back to Nature.