"The Charming Cottage" on beautiful 350 acre Beaver Dam Farm

Antigonish 2 br Vacation Rental Cottage

THE CHARMING COTTAGE on 350 acre Beaver Dam Farm is charming indeed, but it's much more than just a cottage. It's our winter home, and as such is furnished with everything most anyone could need . . . and then some.

OUR LOCATION - We're ideally located to see the best sites in Nova Scotia. -- 10 min. outside the university town of Antigonish, a real Home Town where you'll find gourmet restaurants, excellent live theatre, Gaelic music, art galleries, shopping, golf, a large hospital, and just about every amenity you could wish for.

We're 1 hr. from the Prince Edward Island Ferry, and 1/2 hr. from Cape Breton Island with it's magnificent Cabot Trail Drive. -- From our farm you can tour all the north part of Nova Scotia. It's called The Sunshine Coast and has NO FOG.

(We have another rental at Beaver Dam Farm, The Carriage House Loft (1 bedroom). Please see write-up and photos on this site.)

INTERIOR OF COTTAGE - There are two bedrooms in the Charming Cottage - currently both have twin beds, but for 2012, the red room will have a queen bed. And, there are two full baths, one with a tub, and the other, a very large bathroom with a shower. The Cottage has a washer and dryer, and clothes line in the back garden for those who prefer the old fashioned way.

KITCHEN - The kitchen has slate counters, and a big Jenn-Air stove. We are gourmets, so most every tool and appliance you could want is in the spacious kitchen.

ART & ANTIQUES - Both of us love art and antiques. We enjoy collecting art, particularly art from around the Maritime provinces. We love folk art, fine painting, sculpture, textile art, and pottery. As a result, the Cottage is alive with wonderful original art objects. ---

Arthur is also an accomplished artist who exhibits locally, and he has his own Studio/Gallery on the farm. Many of Arthur's paintings are on display in the Cottage.

GARDENS at BEAVER DAM FARM - The white clapboarded cottage with green shutters and red doors is totally surrounded by vast perennial gardens. And just past the gardens, are the lush pastures where our Norwegian Fjord Horses graze peacefully. Over the last 21 years we've planted over 500 hardy rose bushes (the kind with the intense perfume) and thousands of old-fashioned perennials. The gardens are everywhere and they thrive thanks to the manure donated by out Norwegian Fjord Horses.

OUR NORWEGIAN FJORD HORSES - If you're not familiar with this breed of Nordic horse, the most important aspect about them is their innate gentleness and true interest in, and love of people. Unlike most horses who try to avoid human company, the Norwegian Fjord horse can be rather a pest in his friendliness.

BARNS - The big, red barn is next door to the Cottage, and across from that is the "new" Stable where its expansive terrace welcomes guests. And next to the new stable is THE CARRIAGE HOUSE which is where we house our driving carriages. And upstairs is our other on-farm rental - The very charming CARRIAGE HOUSE LOFT. (2 baths, sleeps 2 - 3)

HORSES ON THE FARM - For 34 years Arthur and I bred Fjords, but we've now retired with only 3 Fjordhorses, 25 yr. old Holly, and her two sons, BDF Quasar and BDF Zenith. During our years breeding, training & selling Fjordhorses, we always had between 25 - 35 Fjords on the farm. Carol is willing to give horsemanship lessons to guests on the farm as well as a short theory program on driving horses. (there is some hands on in this course. Students learn about harness, rein handling, and get to harness the horse.)_

NEW AT THE FARM --- THE OLD BARN GALLERY & DECOR . .Now that we're retired from the horse business, we have a lot of space both in the barns and in the pastures. So, given that situation, we decided to REPURPOSE our massive 1845 barn loft and turn it into an art gallery, which opened the summer of 2011. --- The Old Barn Gallery & Decor is gorgeous and was a grand success, so we're very much looking forward to our second season coming up. --- We sold fine art, folk art, antiques, sculpture, handmade country furniture in the European style, vintage linens, antique quilts, and nice homey things like made on the farm tea cozies, clothespin bags and decorative pillows.

Carol has an eye for color, texture, and pleasing room arrangements. She'll be glad to help anyone interested in any of the wonderful art objects found in the Old Barn Gallery & Decor.

The art gallery in the old barn has a wonderful courtyard garden just outside the big doors. There are sculptures in the garden and massive of fragrant roses plus every perennial known to cottage gardening. We serve lemonade and cookies in the courtyard, and on Sundays English Cream Teas.

The Old Barn GAllery & Decor is open 10 - 5 Thursdays - Sundays, and other days by appointment or chance.

Our beautiful farm is particularly suitable to people who love the gentle country life. We have horses and kittens, and a friendly dog.
We welcome people coming to learn about horses, those who wish to bring their own horses, as well as people who just want to relax and enjoy the gardens. We offer French Cooking Lessons with luncheon, art lessons, fitness lessons. -- We have a marvelous shop/antique gallery in the ancient loft of our historic barn. The Gallery specializes in vintage quilts, hooked rugs, folk art, rustic furniture, and we have paintings and sculpture from the best Nova Scotia artists.
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We also offer horsemanship lessons to people who may be thinking of owning a horse one day. -- If you love the countryside and lifestyle, this is your place.