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Founder’s Story

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family building snowmen during winter farm stay at the Meadow House
marigold illustration

The First Winter

We (Lanita Witt, Suzanne Willow and daughter Brooke) were looking for around 40 acres of rural property within the Ashland School District.

We drove up snowy Shale City Road on a sparkling morning, December 31, 1984. Driving toward a mapped parcel, we looked down into a beautiful valley with a big barn and little house under 4 feet of snow, and thought about the family that lived there — in summer!

Visiting twice more, we found the valley with which we had all fallen in love was for sale, and it was 445 acres!

Two weeks later, we skied into the valley with the big barn and the little house, and put in an offer. The rest, as they say, is history.

Pond surrounded by snow on a cold winter day

Our love affair with this remarkable ecosystem has lasted more than 30 years, and our appreciation of the complexities of waters, forests and wetlands has deepened. We applied holistic forest management to return the over-harvested woodlands to multi-species, multi-age health and balance. We fenced out cows and are regenerating the eroded wetlands. We raised the water table, and our efforts have brought new bird species to the valley. We have protected threatened plants and fostered wildlife.

Pond surrounded by snow on a cold winter day (left) and a group of Children walking across the meadow (above).
daisy illustration

Winter at the Ranch

Our fireplaces are roaring and our farm stays are booking up for the winter! Winter stays can include cozy nights, snowshoeing or hiking, and farm tours. Just 30 minutes from Ashland, we would love to host you and your friends and family.

40% off winter lodging rates - all lodging including the Farmhouse Studio and the Meadow House - book now
Meadow House bathroom with clawfoot tub

Family sitting around a kitchen island eating breakfast

The Meadow House: Sleeps 10
BOOK NOW

The Farm House Studio: Sleeps 6
BOOK NOW

We can’t think of a better winter morning than waking up, stoking the fire, going for a snowshoe walk in the serene forest, and cooking up some eggs from the farm. We hope to see you and your family this winter at Willow-Witt Ranch!

The Willow-Witt Ranch Team