Duck Inn B&B at Small Axe Farms

Unique private space on our small family farm. Relax on our large deck, walk our property, or explore the local area. Option to add homecooked breakfast and dinner. Great location : 8 mi to Massanutten (snow sports, arcade, golf, waterpark, mountain biking); 5 mi to Shenandoah Nat'l Park (hike, scenic cycling/drive); 4 mi to Shenandoah River (fish, kayak, rafting, tubing); 3 mi to Elkton (award-winning brewery, excellent local restaurants, and shops); 20 mi to JMU, 35 mi to Charlottesville/UVA The space Opened in 2024, the "Duck Inn" was a newly renovated space in the farmhouse basement with a private entrance. There is a dining counter in the kitchenette, queen-sized bed, and a full bathroom. Small Axe Farms is a 75-acre family farm. Half of the property is rolling pasture where our animals graze, the other half wooded hills. We use regenerative agriculture techniques to manage our land and animals. Sheep, cows, goats, and pigs share the pastures, while chickens and ducks hang out in the yard. The neighbor's guinea hens are often in the yard visiting, as well. Elk Run bisects the property, along which large sycamores and weeping willow trees grow. It's the perfect place to relax and hang a hammock for a nap on hot summer afternoons. The woods are an excellent place for an easy on-site hike on the old logging road that goes back to the property line. Mostly new growth, there is little underbrush and it's easy to explore. A great picnic spot awaits at the turnaround point. (Please understand, we are a working farm, so there may be times when certain pastures are inaccessible, or require some assistance to navigate past temporary fencing.) Guest access Duck Inn guests may access the apartment interior and the private patio with fire pit just outside the apartment door. Firewood and s'mores kits can be purchased on the property. Outside firewood is not permitted. All guests, B&B and hostel, are welcome to relax on the large deck behind the garage and explore the creek, pastures, and woods. Guests may NOT have access to the swings and trampoline at the front of the house, or the interior of any building other than the apartment or barn hostel area. Other things to note • Our Farm Dogs: Our two house dogs (Wally--cattle dog, Sweet Pea--pit/lab mix) are often in the yard and love to greet guests. There are also four livestock guardian dogs on the property (Uzi, Fat Tony, Enzo, and Mario). PLEASE NOTE: Wally is reactive with other dogs, so our listing may not be the best option if you require a service dog. If you do choose to stay here with a service dog, please tell us in advance that you will be bringing it so that we can coordinate outside time with our animals to keep your stay incident-free for everyone. Emotional support animals and pets are not permitted at Duck Inn B&B. • Dinner and Breakfast on the Farm: Guests of Duck Inn B&B are able to reserve a plate for dinner each night and breakfast each morning of your stay. The cost of these meals is in addition to your stay. Dinner is $15 per person, breakfast $10. You must notify the host by 3:00 pm each day if you plan to have dinner that night; breakfast must be reserved by 8:00 pm. There is no menu. You will receive a plate of whatever our family is eating that night. Some nights we have spaghetti with meat sauce, sometimes pork chops or grilled fish, other nights bean soup or Asian-inspired dishes. It all just depends on which night you’re here. Dinner includes dessert, which also varies night-to-night—e.g., homemade chocolate cake, cookies and cocoa, brownies, ice cream, or a bowl of fruit. Breakfast is usually scrambled eggs, fruit, and muffin/pastry/toast (depends on the day). Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and allergen-free options are available with advance notice. There is a $3 surcharge per person per meal for Vegan meals. Meal times vary depending on our schedule and hostel guests’ schedules, but are usually around 7:00 – 7:30 pm for dinner and 8:30 - 9:00 am for breakfast. If you would like to eat earlier, we can pack you a "to-go" breakfast and deliver it in the evening. The scrambled eggs will be substituted with hard-boiled eggs. • Laundry: We have a laundry service available if you need during your stay. Laundry is typically collected in the evening and brought back in the morning. There is a charge of $5 per load. • Groceries: If you would like to have groceries delivered ahead of your check-in, the local Food Lion will come to the farm for a small fee. Order directly from their website and have the groceries delivered to the farm. Please confirm that we will be on the property during the delivery window you select. We will place your groceries in the apartment and properly store cold items. • Package Deliveries: Other packages may also be sent to the property ahead of your stay. Please address the package(s) with “c/o: Small Axe Farms, attn: [your name/arrival date]”. • Hiker Resupply: We maintain a small hiker resupply store on the property with snacks, candy bars, breakfast shakes, ramen, pop tarts, oatmeal, sodas, medical supplies, etc. These items (and more) can be purchased in small quantities, rather than buying a box of something if you’re only staying a night or two or just don’t want to run out for a Snickers bar. If you are interested, please contact us for a resupply menu. • Exploring the Property Safely: All guests are welcome to relax on the large deck behind the garage and explore the creek, pastures, and woods. Please keep in mind that we are a productive farm. Throughout the property you will encounter equipment, electric fencing, large animals, etc. All of the animals on the property are docile. While most will not appreciate being approached for pets (they will likely walk away), they will allow safe space for walking throughout the property. Please use common sense while around the animals and be quiet/calm to ensure both your and their safety. • The Hostel: Also on the property is an Appalachian Trail (AT) hiker hostel, established in 2021, where hikers stop in for a night to rest, shower, do laundry, and share a homecooked meal. The hostel is open March through November, so you may encounter other guests on the property during those months. • Shuttle Drivers: If you would like to do a shuttle hike in the park, there are several local hiker shuttles to which we can refer you. We recommend setting up details with the shuttle drivers in advance of your visit, if possible, especially during the spring/summer/fall months, as they can get quite busy. Shuttle drivers can also pick up/drop off from downtown Elkton and Charlottesville, Dulles, and Harrisonburg Airports.