B2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 5,1984
Three Spring Run Perm
opens doors
BY PATTY GROSS MOCK
Staff Correspondent
NEW ENTERPRISE - Most
farm families would probably
agree that they live in a world of
their own, a world they wish all
could experience. Life on the farm
is different from any other way of
life. While agriculture is number
one in Pennsylvania, another in
dustry is a growing part of it. That
of vacationing on a family farm.
While many have been doing it
for years, Don and Dottie Replogle
are beginning their second season
of opening Three Spring Run Farm
to vacationers and sportsmen. The
Bedford County dairy farm is just
one of 31 listed in the Farm
Vacation Directory available from
the Department of Agriculture and
the Pennsylvania Farm Vacation
Association.
Don operates a 500-acre Holstein
farm with their two married sons,
Steve and Denny. Fourteen-year
old Allen is still at home on the
family farm./ The Replogles got
into the business of sharing their
farm in much the same way other
farmers have become involved.
After buying an additional farm,
they possessed a vacant far
mhouse.
Dottie says they got the idea just
two winters ago while visiting
friends in Florida.
“They rented a house in Florida
Don and Dottie relax on their own porch as they enthusiastically talk about their ex
periences with a vacation farmhouse. They welcome summer vacationers, skiers and
hunters. Guests have found it to be a central location to many tourist attractions.
isitors are invited to visit the barn while vacationing in New Enterprise. The
Replogles milk 150 Holsteins on their 500-acre farm. City people have a chance to milk
cows, feed calves, gather eggs or assist with other farm chores
o vacationers
already furnished, for a month,”
she explains. “I thought why don’t
we do that with our empty house.
Maybe someone from the city
would like to come to the country
for a week,” smiles Dottie.
They were wise enough not to
plunge in without investigating.
“The first thing we did when we
got the idea was go to see our
county agent,” she said. “He
thought it was a great idea and
gave us the book of farm
vacations.”
Dottie said that later the same
day they visited the local tourist
bureau. They too encouraged
Dottie and Don to develop a place
in the county which could be a
central place for families to
gather. Secretary of Agriculture
Penrose Hallowell, while visiting
Bedford County, agreed that a
farm vacation is a way to let city
folks know how country people
live. Dottie also talked it over with
fellow members of the Pa. Far
mers Associations State Women’s
Committee.
That was all the support she
needed to get her painting and
wallpapering underway.
“We went to a lot of sales to
furnish the house,” says Dottie.
“That was fun.”
When it was too rainy for Don to
be in the field he also got involved
in the project. Although Dottie has
/ut Jford Coul a large farmhouse welcomes city dwellers to experience a
country farm setting. Three Spring Run Farm is in its second year of catering to
vacationers.
received much help from her
husband she says the project is all
hers, but it seems to be of growing
interest to Don.
“I had more reservations about
it than she did,” he smiles. “I’m a
little harder to get enthused about
things.”
The Pa. Farm Vacation Assoc,
requires that members be actively
engaged in fanning and that farms
meet certain standards and be
inspected regularly.
“I think my place is nice, but it’s
nothing fancy,” Dottie honestly
admits. “I don’t want to put
A separate dining room is a
mhouse to accommodate large families or groups. If guests
choose not to cook while on vacation, nearby restaurants
feature home style cooking.
anymore money into it.”
Three Spring Run Farm is open
to the city dweller for $lOO a week
or $2O a night for the weekends.
Dottie feels the price is right,
because she reasons that they do
not have a swimming pool or air
conditioning that many people
would expect at a motel.
While they aren’t located in one
of the major tourist areas of the
state, the Replogles are quick to
tell you what they do have to offer.
A farmhouse nestled in a quiet
country setting near Yellow Creek
lined with whispering pine trees.
They encourage visitors to hike
through the beautiful countryside
or take advantage of the great
fishing. The peaceful surroundings
are the natural habitat of deer and
other wildlife. They advertise the
farm as a central location to
Raystown Lake, Blue Know Ski
Resort, historic Bedford Village
and the famous Horsheshoe Curve.
Don and Dottle last summer
advertised in Delaware and
Washington D.C. newspapers, but
this year are counting on the
directory and their own brochure.
They are always prepared for
guests no matter what time of
year. They hope to appeal to not
only summer vacationers, but also
to skiers and hunters.
They are pleased with 'the
response to their new business.
“I think it has a good start,”
comments Dottie. “Right away I
thought I was going to be full every
week and how wOl I get all the
linens washed? I don’t need to
worry about that, yet,” she joked.
vtomesfead
td/otps
Friends encourage the warm
and friendly woman to expect
better business each year of
operation. It took several years for
a nearby farm family to finally fill
their farmhouse for the summer.
“A Lancaster County couple told
us they turned away 1,200 people,”
repeats an amazed Dottle.
It is easy to see that Dottle is
enthused as she relates the arrival
of her very first guests.
“I told them how to get to our
place. Our son lives on the next
farm. He called to tell me that they
were there,” remembers Dottie. “I
was so excited. I jumped in the car
and went down, but forgot the keys
to the house,” she laughs.
New York City was the home of
the grandparents who arrived on
the farm for the 4th of July. Their
daughter from Delaware and her
two young daughters joined them.
“The adults thought it was
heaven,” she recalls. “They didn’t
want to go anywhere. They Just
wanted to sit, but the grand
daughters were bored. Finally
they all started exploring and went
to Lake Raystown.”
Don admits that their first ex
perience was an education.
Dottie adds, “We never thought
•bout kids not having anything to
do. We put up a swing for them and
bought a little swimming pod and
games.”
the girls were around five and
six years old, in a very different
environment, and not the exploring
tomboy type, she said.
A Washington family spent a
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