Fearrington Village
When I was growing up, my favorite television show was Samantha Brown: Passport to Europe. Whenever I had to stay home from school, the silver lining was watching Brown traverse through the metropolitan capital cities to rural countrysides. When I moved to North Carolina, I try to embody this ethos as I explored the area around Chapel Hill, NC. I have to say Brown would be impressed by this discovery.
(photo courtesy of https://samantha-brown.com)
Fearrington Village is a sixteen minute drive from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Campus. As you approach this bucolic safe haven, you can see old corn silo. You turn onto the property to enter the Belted Barnyard. After you park your car, you can see belted goats, belted cows, chickens and donkeys.
Belted Barnyard Area
Belted Cows
(photo courtesy of Fearrington Village)
Belted Cows: According to the Fearrington Village website, " Black and white belted cows, a rare breed of Scottish beef cattle that was introduced to the United States back in the 1950s. In 1982, R.B. Fitch brought a herd of six Belted Galloway Cows from Virginia to Fearrington. There are now over thirty pet Belties grazing our pastures. Guests often refer to the Belted Galloways as “Oreo cows.” Our Belties consistently bring home awards in their category at local and national fairs."
Belted Goats
(photo courtesy of Fearrington Village)
Belted Goats: Fearrington Village describes their unique goats as, " Fainting Goats, our black and white goats frolicking in the fields with the Belties. Named for a harmless hereditary genetic disorder known as myotonia congenita, fainting goats do not truly faint, but stiffen when startled. The goats appear to have arrived in Tennessee in the early 1800s, courtesy of a reclusive and unnamed farm worker who was most likely from Nova Scotia. Before he left the area, he sold his goats to Dr. H.H. Mayberry, who bred them. In 1996, a herd of goats found their new home at Fearrington" .
Other animals: Black and white Columbian Wyandotte chickens and Donkeys
(photo courtesy of Fearrington Village)
Once you walk pass the animals, you can go "into town" where you can see the Fearrington Hotel (I am about to go to the tea on Friday March 5th so be sure to check out that post), small shops, and a coffee shop. Perhaps my favorite part of this small town is the book store.
Since 1989, this independent book store has enriched the lives of its customers. Located right next to the Belted Barnyard, you can journey a few steps towards this bibliophiles' dream. As you enter the store, you can pursue the sections to find a plethora of novels.
(Photo by Rachel Huss, the rabbit is adhering to social distancing protocol)
This is the first display you see when you walk in. In addition to mask-wearing, customers must put on gloves before touching any of the books and products.
You can buy candles to your patron saints of pop culture (left image), dive down the rabbit hole in the mysteries room (center image), or never lose track of time with a coco-clock (right image)
As you continue to walk by shops, you can walk to a trail in the middle of the property. This half a mile trail transports you into a J. M. W. Turner painting. As Oliver and I walked around this slice of heaven, we can only imagine what it would look like in Spring.
Snow Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth by J.M.W Turner 1842
Next time you need to get away from the Zoom microcosm, I suggest exploring Fearrington Village. You never know how you might befriend.
(statue of sheep on the walk that Oliver the Bernedoodle mistook for real sheep, photo by me)
