Caroline Farms Feature Fabulous Creatures
[By Breyana Franklin]
What do alpacas, outhouses and draft horses have in common? They all attract curious tourists who come to Caroline County for some good, old-fashioned, farm-based entertainment.
Though it lacks bay frontage like many of its neighboring counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Caroline County is a unique and charming area touched by the Choptank River. Capitalizing on a couple of assets – namely its great agritourism and nature-based tourism opportunities – Caroline has no shortage of extraordinary farms that are well worth a visit. Here are three precious properties you can fit into an afternoon or weekend:
Outstanding Dreams alpacas.
Outstanding Dreams Farm in Preston gives visitors the chance to get up-close-and-personal with the soft warmth of Alpaca fibers. The farm offers alpaca sales, breeding, boarding, tours and a farm store.
Alpacas are cute and furry four-legged creatures closely related to llamas and camels. Their fleece comes in 22 natural colors and is used for yarn, hats, gloves, scarves and toys, all of which are found in the Outstanding Dreams fiber store. While approaching these mammals, beware of their spit – Alpacas sometimes spit at each other over issues of food or dominance and at humans during rare occasions of extreme stress.
The farm raises Huacaya Alpacas, which are covered with a soft, uniform fleece. Other than their slight spitting issue, these animals can be a joy to observe or raise. The owners of Outstanding Dreams, Phil and Vicki Liske insist that after visiting this farm you will fall in love with the irresistible alpaca just like they have.
From alpacas to outhouses … Preston-based Shore Good Farm has the usual chicken coops and cultivated fields, as well as relics from farming’s past, but it is also known for creating custom-designed outhouses.
Highlighting Caroline County’s agrarian history with opportunities to view antiques and artifacts, the farm welcomes families and bus tours. But despite featuring one of the largest recorded collections of Eastern Shore memorabilia, Shore Good should not be considered a museum, according to owner Jack Stieff. Stieff believes his farm is more of a well-rounded, hands-on, recreational experience.
Shore Good allows guests to pick their own blackberries, raspberries and wild flowers, and children can collect brown eggs from the chicken coops while parents partake in the art of oyster shucking. The farm also includes a peanut-roasting operation, offering 15 varieties of signature peanuts. What could be better than enjoying roasted peanuts while watching the creation of a custom outhouse?
Clydesdales at Hidden Acres.
Just a few miles away from Preston is Denton, home to Hidden Acres. This 32-acre farm maintains poultry houses and is the residence of five true-bred Clydesdales and one American Quarter Horse. Hidden Acres also offers a collection of horse-drawn carriages – from a sparkling, pearl “Cinderella Carriage” with maroon velvet interior, to a “Black sleigh” resembling something that should be pulled by reindeer and packed with gifts! These vehicles are available for rent and are used to escort guests during tours, which are held in both fall and spring.
After petting alpacas and then eating peanuts among vintage outhouses, a leisurely carriage ride sounds like a terrific way to end a day of agritourism in Caroline County.
