Day at Anavo Farm

Welcome to Anavo Farm — a 6-acre regenerative working farm in the heart of Ballard, Santa Ynez Valley. Soak in the hot tub under the stars, collect golden eggs from the chickens, feed the alpacas, and take in views from the wrap-around porch that will stop you mid-sentence.
This is a place that feels even better than the pictures show. Guests say it every single time.

The farmhouse
Thoughtfully renovated and immaculately maintained, the 1930s farmhouse sleeps up to 6 guests:
Primary Bedroom — king bed with eco mattress and fine linens, romantic gas fireplace, en suite bathroom, and a screened-in porch with swinging beds
Junior Bedroom 1 — full bed and a single bed
Junior Bedroom 2 — bunk bed
Chef’s Kitchen — breakfast banquette, large island, reverse osmosis water filtration, high-end appliances
Living Room — gas-start wood-burning fireplace (firewood provided), ultra-comfy sofa, panoramic pasture and mountain views
Jacuzzi — soak under the stars with vineyard and mountain views
Outdoor Spaces — wrap-around deck, BBQ, fire pit with seating (firewood provided), wildflower pollinator garden, vegetable gardens, and a fruit tree orchard
Evenings here, with the landscape lighting and fairy lights, are something else.

The farm experience
This is a working regenerative farm — and you’re invited in.
Your host or farm caretaker will be on-property each morning and evening to feed the animals. Want to join? Collect eggs from the chickens (who spend their days turning kitchen scraps into breakfast). Give treats to the alpacas — or cool them down with the hose on a warm day; they are enthusiastic fans. Watch Biscuit the corgi herd escapees back through the gate when someone inevitably leaves it open and the whole crew makes a beeline for the pollinator garden.
The farm runs on the principle that everything plays a part — the chickens, the alpacas, the pollinator bees, the compost, the fruit trees. Guests often leave with a different relationship to food, land, and slowing down. Learn more at AnavoFarm.org.

Meet the crew
Damascus is our 135-lb Anatolian Shepherd livestock guardian — a true gentle giant who has captured the heart of every guest who has ever met him.
Biscuit is a corgi with the soul of a professional soccer player. Past guests’ kids have spent hours kicking the ball with her. She will not tire before they do.
Our dogs roam the property freely during the day. Animal lovers will feel right at home. Either way, this is a working farm and the animals are part of what makes it magic.

For the little ones
Tree swings, a springless trampoline, and a corgi who wants to play soccer. (Trampoline use requires a signed waiver — sent before check-in.)

Want more space?
Traveling with another couple or extended family? The Chic Sheep Retreat guest house sits on the same property and can be booked for a full farm takeover. Search Chic Sheep Retreat on VRBO or send us a message.

The location
Ballard is the sweet spot of the Santa Ynez Valley — old-growth trees, authentic ranches, absolute quiet — and yet nothing is far:
Walk to Bob’s Well Bread Bakery (10 minutes)
3 minutes to Lincourt, Roblar, Stolpman, and Beckmen vineyards
3 miles to Los Olivos tasting rooms and boutiques
5 minutes to Solvang, SY Kitchen, Nella Kitchen & Bar, The Gathering Table
30 minutes to Refugio Beach
Secluded. Central. Exactly right.

House rules
Max 6 guests (4 included; additional guests $85/night)
No outside guests or animals
Washer/dryer available for stays of 5 nights or more
Early check-in / late check-out: $130 each (up to 2 hours), subject to availability — request in advance
Trampoline use requires signed waiver — sent before check-in
This is a working farm. Please respect the animals, the land, and the neighbors.

Service animals welcome with advance notice. Must remain under guest control, be housebroken, not left alone, and not be allowed on furniture. Note: floors are old, soft wood — larger dogs running through the house may cause damage. Guest is liable for any damage.