Mad River Valley Getaway Winner Profile: Brandi Turner

Mad River Valley Getaway Winner Profile: Brandi Turner

Brandi and Joe Turner with Brandon, Ethan, Ashleigh, Abby, and baby Noah of Simplicity Farm Waitsfield VT

The winner of the Mad River Valley Getaway was a local girl, from the hard working Simplicity Farm in Waitsfield, VT.  Brandi Turner worked hard right from the beginning of the contest to get her friends and family to support her. We couldn’t be happier to give the Spring Mad River Valley Getaway to this local farm family. Want to know what a real farmer is? Look no further than Simplicity Farm. Simplicity is family owned and operated. 3rd and 4th generation father/son team currently work the fields and milk all of the farm’s organic registered Holsteins. When Brandi was asked, “What does winning the Mad River Valley Spring Getaway mean to you”, Brandi replied, ” It is everything we could ask for in a romantic getaway to celebrate our anniversary, while still being a 10 minute phone call away from the kids and reality if needed. Joe and my Father-in-Law Doug run the farm day to day. They give each other 1 week of vacation a year, and 2 full days off a year(each of their anniversaries and birthdays) If you are doing the math, that equals 9 days off per year, and 1 afternoon a week (meaning they work from 6am until about 3pm, and then take the rest of the day off to spend some time with the family.) In order to do those vacation days and afternoons off, the other person runs the farm alone. It is a lot of work, but worth it”. Indeed Brandi, we think it’s really going to be super special for you this year.  Your “Getaway” will be just down the road, but hopefully you’ll feel a million miles away. Brandi told us a bit about what the getaway is for and what they are looking forward to, “We plan to use our prize to celebrate our anniversary. I couldn’t think of a better way to use it. Everything included in the package are things we would never be able to spend on ourselves. Joe is most looking forward to being able to sleep in(something that very rarely happens for him). I’m looking forward most to a shower that has real water pressure at any time I want to use it. On the farm, our house is 3rd in line for water. The main farmhouse and barn are connected first to the water, so everything we run or use water for comes after the other houses usage and the cows drinking water and milk tank cleanings. We are both looking forward to the meals at the great restaurants since Joe loves to eat, and I love not having to cook. We are just so grateful for all of our friends and family that helped us win the prize. It really does mean a lot to us”.

It means a lot to us too. Congratulations Brandi and family, and thank you for all you do.

Simplicty Farm Waitsfield VT

Big thank you to all of the sponsors of the Spring Mad River Getaway: The Common Man Restaurant, Hartshorn Farm, East Warren Community Market, Mint, and The Inn at the Round Barn Farm.

We’re looking forward to the Summer Mad River Valley Getaway Prize Package!

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Mad River Valley Getaway Prize Profile: The Round Barn Farm, Waitsfield, VT

Contest ends Sunday 4/15 9pm

The final Mad River Valley Getaway Prize Profile is for the Inn at the Round Barn in Waitsfield, VT

       

The inn at the Round Barn Waitsfield VT

The inn at the Round Barn in Waitsfield was opened in 1987 by the Simko family after they had purchased the former dairy farm from the Joslyn family the year before. The 3 story Round Barn restoration began in 1988.The restoration was performed by the same team that restored the round barn at the Shelburne Museum.

The 12 room Inn and the Round Barn farm are on 245 acres of fields and wooded trails. Many of the surrounding fields are still used by dairy cows from neighboring farms. Now, the 4 season Round Barn is host to wide range of cultural events such as a photography exhibit, an art show,  opera festival and private events from business meetings to weddings. In the winter the inn hosts guided moonlight snowshoe tours and dinners to their own private cabin in woods of the farm’s property.  The winner of the prize will enjoy the Inn’s afternoon appetizer, cookies and in the morning, the chef prepared 3 course breakfast filled with local foods from Vermont and the Mad River Valley.

The winner of the Mad River Valley Getaway will make the Round Barn Farm their home base for the night as they explore the wonders of the Mad River Valley.

How to win:

post a link to the Mad River Valley Facebook page on your Facebook wall. Tell your friends you need a getaway! Ask them to like the page and then post on the wall of the MRV page, “so and so sent me”. The person that receives the most amount of referral/shout-outs by Sunday night (at 9pm) wins!

The Inn at the Round Barn Dining room

The Inn at the Round Barn Sunrise

Gardens at the Inn at the Round Barn Waitsfield VT

Breakfast at the Inn at the Round Barn Farm Waitsfield VT

Mad River Valley Getaway Prize Profile: The East Warren Market and Hartshorn Farm

Today’s Mad River Valley Getaway Prize Profile(s) are for the East Warren Community Market and Hartshorn Farm.

The Winner of the Mad River Getaway will not only enjoy a night at the Inn at the Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield, Dinner for two at the Common Man in Warren, and Lunch at Mint BUT you also get to take a taste of the Mad River Valley home with you.

The East Warren Community Market located in what might appear to many visitors as the “middle of nowhere”. The Market located at a four corners surrounded by fields and mountain vistas, the market is a treasure trove of local foods, gourmet products and a beer and wine selection for taste of all kinds. The East Warren Market is housed in an old schoolhouse, a two room schoolhouse now home to community focused organization, Roots Works. Under the roof of the old schoolhouse lives a radio station 95.1 FM WMRW, home-school-ers, the Market and the community garden (which is out back of the store and is rented plots and yes, in season the store features food grown right out back). The Market features fish night, which you can pre-order seafood, and the fish delivery arrives direct from the docks to the Valley every other week. The Market has begun doing Friday night (take-out) dinners, a popular treat for locals and visitors alike.

Read how to win this  MRV getaway prize and more at the bottom of this page.

East Warren Community Market Logo

Friday night dinners being prepared at the East Warren Market

Inside of the East Warren Community Market

The East Warren Market has generously donated a gift basket of products and food from the store which will be awaiting your arrival to the MRV.

 

The Hartshorn Farm

The Hartshorn family in Waitsfield has been a Mad River Valley agricultural cornerstone for over 8 generations. The once dairy focused farm family is now headed by David, who moved the farm from dairy to certified organic produce many years ago. The Hartshorn Farm‘s presence on route 100 is a welcoming site to many as they enter the Valley, and certainly a destination stop before they leave.  The sugarhouse styled farm stand is surrounded by green houses and finely tilled gardens which you will likely find David working in before the sun comes up, and until the sun is past the horizon at sunset. David has continued a family generation that has been around since the beginning, making Maple Syrup. David’s approach to sugaring is a balance  between scientist and artist. One tradition David has brought to the farm is his building of a corncob sculpture at the farm stand from windmill to Egyptian pyramid to tall ship… David’s creative sculptures are always highly anticipated each fall.  You can also find David at the Mad River Valley Farmer’s Market in Waitsfield every Saturday in season. You’ll receive a gift certificate upon arrival to your getaway, you can use at the farm stand  for maple syrup, produce or whatever David has in season!

David Hartshorn in his greenhouse

Hartshorn Farm Stand in the Fall

David Hartshorn with local chefs

David Hartshorn's Berry display

To win the Mad River Valley Getaway: post a link to the Mad River Valley Facebook page on your Facebook wall. Tell your friends you need a getaway! Ask them to like the page and then post on the wall of the MRV page, “so and so sent me”. The person that receives the most amount of referral/shout-outs by Sunday night (at 9pm) wins!