In addition to running their dairy business, the Kennett family has hosted thousands of guests on their picturesque farm for decades.
The five-story barn at Liberty Hill Farm dates back to the 1780s and is crowned by a cow-shaped weather vane. The Kennetts, who both came from families with deep farming heritage, first fell in love with Liberty Hill when on their honeymoon in the area, but it was not for sale. A few years later, fate brought them back to the farm, now on the market. They wrote a check for $500— “all the money we had,” says Beth—and never looked back.
The Kennett family adjusts their schedule to suit the guests visiting. They milk from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. so the guests can observe the milking after breakfast and again after dinner.
The farm is also Vermont’s first certified “Green” agritourism enterprise. They have installed various energy-efficient initiatives in the barn including a heat exchanger to heat hot water, and a variable frequency milking system that reduces energy consumption. In addition, they have worked on a number of environmental stewardship initiatives with stream bank restoration projects, erosion control, and land conservation. The guest business has qualified as a Green Hotel in Vermont and is a member of the national Green Hotel program. The Kennett Family allows snowmobiling, fishing, hunting, bird watching, and hiking on their land, and also provides tours of the farm and a farm vacation. The family owns land on both sides of the White River, which is a popular fishing river. The Green Mountain National Forest is adjacent to the farm, with an entire network of hiking trails, mountain biking trails.
For more information about Liberty Hill Farm, visit www.libertyhillfarm.com or visit Cabot Creamery Cooperative.
