TWIN FARMS, VERMONT
Vermont has a sensorial connection to seasonality. A glance at its thickly forested green mountains (from which the state takes its French-language name) is enough to pinpoint the month — New Yorkers schedule road trips to ‘leaf-peep’ the dramatic autumn foliage — and produce from its expansive farmlands is legend. So fresh and abundant is the produce, in fact, that Chef Nathan Rich at the adults-only, all-inclusive Twin Farms sources all of his ingredients, most daily, from a five-mile radius of the property.
“Spring is an exciting time. We have ramps, morels and wild watercress. As we move into summer, I especially love the heirloom tomatoes we grow — the colours and flavours are outstanding,” he says.
Guests have an open invitation to bike or walk to visit producers such as Kiss the Cow Farm, where Rich procures ducks, chickens, turkeys, eggs and veal, and Edmunds Maple Hill Farm, which produces maple syrup and seasonal berries, and to enjoy the day’s culinary offering anywhere on the property — perhaps on the terrace cocooned by garden, atop Ski Hill or in the wine cellar — although every season lends itself to certain experiences.
In spring, picnic on cold poached Maine lobster, tamari-grilled Cavendish quail and truffled local potatoes in a shady, secluded grove; in winter, enjoy s’mores and cognac in Adirondack chairs around the fire, against a starlit backdrop. “If it’s a latenight grilled cheese sandwich you seek, or a five-course in-room dining experience, where we set up your cottage as if it were a private restaurant, we have you covered too,” Rich adds. Food, drinks and activities are included with the rooms, which start at US$1,746 a night.
No one would blame you for wanting to hole up in your lodgings — Twin Farms offers 20 charming, luxurious woodand-stone-rich accommodation, including 10 free-standing cottages, all with fireplaces, screened verandas and art pieces from the owners’ eclectic private collection. But when you do feel like venturing out, there’re 300 acres of forest, meadows and fully stocked ponds to discover, as well as plenty of activities — biking, hiking, croquet, snowshoeing — to help you do it.