Domestic Animals & Wildlife

Our mountains are home to many creatures, both wild and domestic! Be prepared to encounter animals during your visit, and bring along any necessary allergy medications. 

Household Pets

We share our home with two Australian cattle dogs, a Turkish Van cat, tropical fish, and ringneck doves. We make every effort to keep our home clean and orderly, but animals introduce a certain level of chaos (and occasional dirt and stray fur) that cannot be avoided. All guest spaces are able to be closed or gated to prevent pets from entering if desired, but pets roam freely in the common areas. Our pets are friendly, though one of our dogs is old and has his slower days, and our cat is as mercurial as most cats are– let us know if you have any particular concerns about household animals during your stay and we can do our best to address them!

Livestock

We currently keep a flock of ~40 chickens that free range outside during nice weather, and provide an abundance of eggs for our kitchen. The roosters WILL start crowing early, and you may need to be mindful of droppings in the yard. The chickens may follow you in the hopes of getting treats, but they are not aggressive and will eventually leave you alone if you don’t feed them! You are welcome to keep any dropped feathers you find in the coop or yard as you like.

Ticks & Nature-Borne Illnesses

We are in an area where ticks, chiggers, mosquitos, and other natural pests are a concern. We highly recommend using tick spray or other deterrents when venturing outside beyond the immediate house grounds, and always washing your hands or using sanitizer after handling natural objects or unprepared food/ingredients. You are welcome to use the tick spray we keep in-house during hikes. We are not responsible for adverse reactions or illnesses contracted from insect bites sustained on our property.

Wildlife

The mountains provide habitat for many wild animals, some you may be more likely to see than others. Most commonly seen on the property are deer, squirrels, rabbits, turkeys, fence lizards, peeper frogs, American toads, nonvenomous black snakes and garter snakes, salamanders, skinks, and all manner of birds and insects. Less commonly, you might catch sight of a possum, raccoon, fox, or a variety of other nonvenomous snakes. Quite rarely, you might glimpse a bobcat, the venomous copperhead snake, timber rattlesnake, or a black bear. The immediate area around the main house is generally quite safe and devoid of predators and venomous snakes, but we always advise staying alert during twilight hours and springtime/mating-and-baby season.

If you’re curious about specific birds or other species in our area, feel free to inquire!