Hellobee

I had been wanting to take the kids camping for awhile, but considering that our youngest just turned three years old, I wasn’t sure they were ready for it. Well, to be truthful, maybe I wasn’t really ready for the idea of taking the two of them into the great outdoors and everything that comes along with that adventure.

But every year around this time, I get a little nostalgic about the end of summer and try to squeeze in as many activities and weekend trips as I can think of. This year it came in the form of a last-minute getaway to a local, organic farm that offers a nice compromise for families looking for a relaxing, unplugged, outdoorsy vacation combined with some of the luxuries and comforts of home.

The location

Kinnikinnick Farm is located in Caledonia, Illinois, just south of the Wisconsin border. It is the only Featherdown Farms in the United States (the other locations are all in Europe). Imagine rolling hills, old willow trees, endless blue sky, and a picturesque farmhouse and working barn on the premises.

The view from our tent

We stayed in a fairly luxurious canvas tent that was over 400 square feet and included a dining table, reclining chairs, an ice chest, a wood-burning stove, comfortable sleeping quarters for up to six people, and running water from the well. There is no electricity, but the stove provides plenty of heat for the cool summer evenings, and for light there is nothing more cozy than gathering around a table lit by candles and old-fashioned oil lamps.

Our tent was called “Wyman.” My mom loved it so much she’s convinced she wants to build one in her backyard haha!

The Activities

Consider this your anti-scheduled vacation. Even for me, a person who tries to do as much as possible when on a trip, doing “nothing” never felt so right. In addition to reading, napping, and watching the kids run around blissfully on the farm, every morning and evening “Farmer Dave” came around on his tractor beeping his horn and collecting the kids to help him with the chores. This was probably the highlight of the trip for our kids. The “chores” included feeding the pigs and chickens, gathering eggs, and milking the goats.

The chicken stampede during the morning chores

The food

Other than the beautiful scenery, this was easily the best part of our getaway. I love that the kids learned that the eggs they were eating for breakfast came from the hens they saw yesterday. We also had incredible organic roast chicken, fresh arugula salad, whole milk yogurt, homemade granola, and the best bacon you will ever taste.

On our second evening, there was also a picture-perfect outdoor “make-your-own-pizza” dinner. Owner Susan Cleverdon provides the delicious homemade pizza dough, along with ingredients including fresh mozzarella, basil, and farm-fresh meats and other vegetables. Farmer Dave heats the pizzas in the wood-burning pizza oven which reaches temperatures of over 700 degrees. The pizzas were ready in less than five minutes! Of course, my older daughter chose to make a pizza with only tomato sauce, but the adults got to enjoy more “grown-up” pizzas.

Absolutely tasted as good as it looks

The overall experience

If you are ever in the Chicago area, I would highly recommend a visit to Kinnikinnick Farm. I loved that this was so different from our typical hectic vacations, and it was a perfect end to our busy summer. My three-year old did happen to be the youngest kid on the farm, but she had no problem tagging along with the chores, and she enjoyed running around in the fresh country air as much as we all did. I can’t wait to go back next year.