The INN
The vibe
Though “bed and breakfast” might conjure images of lacy old Victorian mansions and delicate antiques, The Birdhouse Inn certainly isn’t that. We’re casual, cozy, and eclectic - part farm, part hilltop lodge with an eco-minded sensibility. You won’t find flat-screen TVs or whirlpool tubs, but a two-story library, an assortment of puzzles and board games, and beautiful winding hiking trails will keep you entertained. Upon check-in, your resident innkeepers will welcome you and give you the scoop on the very best the Spring Green area has to offer. You’re in for a delicious farm-to-table breakfast every day and a vibrant, serene rural atmosphere. We’re constantly thinking of ways to reduce our carbon footprint and responsibly manage this little piece of paradise. Come visit!
(If you can’t get enough of the delicious Hazel Hill Farm goods, be sure to pack a cooler to bring home with you!)
The farm
Hazel Hill Farm is in a pandemic-induced semi-hiatus. It’s a long story, but we’ve had to shift gears from the heritage breed pork, eggs, heirloom garlic, mushrooms, and handmade old-fashioned soap that defined our early years to more deeply integrated forest crops to better play our ecological role in our new environment. We’ve also undertaken several experimental research plantings. Most of our efforts will take several years from seed to harvest, so suffice it to say, we don’t look like the “postcard farm” many people expect. Hazel Hill Farm has been in the Spring Green area for eight years, moving from Avoca to Arena, WI in 2019.
Hazel Hill will continue to produce delicious food and specialty crops with an added emphasis on forest agriculture and mushrooms. Our first full year on this property was in 2020.
If they’re in their home pasture, say hello to our brush cleaning crew of goats on your way up the hill, but please stay away from the electric fencing. If you don’t see them around, they might be hard at work in the green seasons clearing away invasive species and helping regenerate the understory.
From our hillside perch, our unique multi-level home welcomes you to the Driftless Area. We’d love to show you our two huge stone fireplaces, solarium, and an incredible, expansive western view over the Wisconsin River Valley. In our efforts to bring you a true taste of the region, we’re collaborating with several nearby farms to bring you a breakfast as fresh and local as you can get. Bask in the treetop sunset view from our extensive porch, hike the trails through the old oaks in the woods, and maybe even help us collect the eggs. If that weren’t enough, we’re less than two miles from both the American Players Theatre and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin studio estate (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and five miles from downtown Spring Green. The Birdhouse Inn is your perfect retreat or launching pad for a long weekend away.
the inn
In early fall 2018, we first set eyes on what would later become the much anticipated new permanent site of Hazel Hill Farm and the home of The Birdhouse Inn. That winter was for scheming, planning, sketches, spreadsheets, inspections, meetings, and at long last a closing in May 2019. Then, the real work began…
We dismantled, moved, and are rebuilding Hazel Hill Farm. (No small feat!) We also set about fixing and furnishing the house that had once been a family’s home but which had waited, vacant, for almost 10 years for its next life and owners (us).
You will forgive us, we hope, as we get acquainted with this place and undertake needed repairs and improvements. Our priorities for the Inn are your safety and comfort, which have driven our project planning. The large westward deck was completely dismantled and will be under construction and inaccessible to guests until at least fall 2024. The southern porch and all the balconies are rebuilt and sound, and offer you plenty of access to the landscape. You will of course also see farm equipment, supplies, and livestock on the grounds, as we are a real working farm.
The First year | 2019
The Birdhouse Inn, due to its one-of-a-kind design and ridgetop location is regrettably not wheelchair accessible. The bedrooms and the common areas are elevated from the parking level, and you must climb a flight of at least 12 exterior steps to enter the building. Two of our rooms have private exterior entrances, and they share a small interior stair of 6 steps to the main level, while our larger suites are accessed by separate flights of interior stairs from the main floor. We recognize that the staircases may present a physical challenge or barrier to our prospective guests with mobility impairments, and we urge you to take this into account when deciding to book your stay. We have installed automatic lighting for gentle illumination of these stairs at night, and all stairways have handrails for your comfort and safety.
If you have any questions about our house or if you’d like to inquire about specific accommodations, please reach out to us and we’ll be happy to answer to the best of our abilities.