Miles Smith Farm facts for kids
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| Industry | Short-term rentals |
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| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Miles Smith |
| Headquarters | Loudon, New Hampshire, U.S. |
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Area served
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United States |
| Products | Short-term rentals |
| Owner | Bruce Dawson Carole Soule |
Miles Smith Farm is a family farm in Loudon, New Hampshire, USA. It sits on Whitehouse Road and has beautiful views of the Merrimack Valley. The farm covers about 26 acres and still has old stone walls built by its first owner, Miles Smith. Today, the farm offers four cozy suites in its old farmhouse for people to rent for short stays. You can find these rentals on their website or through booking companies.
Contents
The History of Miles Smith Farm
Early Days with Miles Smith
Miles Smith first started farming this land in 1830. He was a skilled stone mason, helping the nearby Shakers with their stone buildings. He also provided food from his dairy cattle, goats, and pigs. Miles Smith knew the area well and was an important farmer. He even served as the town's "hog reeve," which meant he was in charge of stray pigs! Miles Smith is now buried in the farm's cemetery, along with other people who farmed the land over the years.
Sarah Adeline Whitehouse's Time
In 1918, Sarah Adeline Whitehouse bought the farm. She was a midwife, helping to deliver over 45 babies in the area. People also knew her as the "best shot in Loudon." She filled the farmhouse attic with many deer antlers from her hunting trips.
Miles Smith Farm Today
The current version of Miles Smith Farm began in 2002. It started with just two pregnant Scottish Highland cows. By 2005, the farm began selling its beef at a local market. In 2011, a store powered by solar energy opened on the farm. The first short-term rental unit in the farmhouse opened in 2012.
In the past, the farm helped bring back over 200 acres of farmland that were not being used. This included land from St. Paul's School. St. Paul's School supports local farming by letting farmers use some of its unused land. The New Hampshire Audubon group helps manage this land. It provides a natural home for grassland birds like grasshopper sparrows and eastern meadowlarks.
In 2018, Miles Smith Farm joined a program to let their cattle graze for longer. Instead of four to six months, the cattle could eat for up to eight months a year. They did this by feeding the cattle turnips during the colder months.
Today, the farm focuses on offering short-term rentals in its beautifully updated farmhouse. They are no longer selling beef.
Farm Recognition
Awards and Honors
Carole Soule, who co-owns Miles Smith Farm, was recognized as one of New Hampshire Magazine's Remarkable Women in 2014.
Books by Carole Soule
Carole Soule has also written books. Her children's book, The Curious Little Calf Named Bleu, was published in 2012. She also wrote a memoir called Yes, I Name Them, which came out in 2023.
See also
Images for kids
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Highland cow with newborn calf
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Mother and calf
