Peaceful pond views, gentle farm animals, and top it all off with a waffle cone full of homemade ice cream?
Umm….yes please! Take me over to Gillis Hill Farm any day!
Here are four reasons to visit one of Fayetteville’s best hidden gems!
4 Reasons to Visit Gillis Hill Farm
The Homemade Ice Cream
This weekend, tired of sitting at home, we loaded up and headed for Gillis Hill Farm to mark another item off of our Fort Bragg Bucket List.
The girls could hardly contain their excitement when they read the sign that says Ice Cream Shoppe. So, our first stop on the farm was for a heaping waffle cone full of delicious homemade ice cream.
For the price of an ice cream purchase, you get a free walking tour of the farm. The tour is self-guided, but there are plenty of informational signs along the way. They give you an explanation of the equipment and outbuildings on display and provide historical context for the farm throughout the years. This farm has belonged to the Gillis family for more than 200 years!
[The farm only offers ice cream and tours from April to October and are closed on Sundays. Make sure you check their Facebook page or their website before you go to check their hours.]
The Cute Animals
After finishing every sticky sweet drop of our ice cream, we started off on our tour of the farm.
Pet food is available for sale by the handful from a dispenser near the goat pen. You can use it to feed the goats, turkeys, horse, and chickens.
The kids loved letting the chickens peck the corn right out of their hands and petting all the animals.
Our favorites were the turkeys. As soon as we were near their pen, they came running over with their funny, wobbly gait. They stretched their necks through the fence to peck at our hands, toes, and the phone as I was trying to take a picture. The girls were one big giggle!
The Gillis Hill Farm Gristmill
After loving on all of the animals and looking through the displays, we walked down to the pond. Where we found a bunch of geese and a beautiful view.
The gristmill pond at Gillis Hill Farm is so peaceful and still that you can see the perfect reflection of the trees and sky.
The mill’s building isn’t open, except for special occasions and events, but you can walk down to the waterwheel. The rocky stream and the giant wooden wheel make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
It’s Educational
A trip to Gillis Hill Farm was not only a lot of fun for our girls, but it turned out to be quite educational. They learned about different crops and life on the farm many years ago. They also learned about the gristmill and what it was used for.
Gillis Hill Farm was the perfect spot to spend our Saturday afternoon. It truly is one of Fayetteville’s best hidden gems!
