The Farm at Carter Hill: A Connecticut Bed and Breakfast That’s Great For Kids

It’s rare that I visit a place I like so much that I immediately add it to my list of the best places in Connecticut to take a kid fishing, but that’s what happened after I visited The Farm at Carter Hill located at 86 East Hampton Road, Marlborough, Connecticut (860-906-7866). A Connecticut bed and breakfast that is about as kid-friendly as they come, the farm has something for literally everyone. Want to take the kids to feed some goats and sheep? They’ve got it. Want to find some sort of outdoor event where you can socially distance yet still feel alive? This is just the place. How about the perfect backdrop for that wedding you’ve been dreaming of since you were little? Yep – the Farm is the place, once again. It has everything!

Granted, my website is “FishingFather” so you can guess what I am most interested in. Yes, the Farm at Carter Hill is an outstanding place to take kids fishing in Connecticut. It checks every box:

• Clear areas to cast.
• Species easy to catch and find.
• A place to grab a snack
• PLENTY of distractions for the little ones if they get bored.

All the same, many fishing fathers have a fishing spouse in tow, so let’s do an in-depth review of why The Farm at Carter Hill should be on your short list of summer destinations in Connecticut!

How Did I Stumble on This Gem, You Ask?

For years now, I’ve heard my father rave about “Mitch’s Place” owned by two of Dad’s friends, Mitch and Hazel. For most of that time, it was a large “everything” store in New Britain, Connecticut that Dad used to love. It is no stretch to say that every sweatshirt I grew up wearing, every single piece of paper I ever scrawled on as a child, and every storage shelf in my basement came from Mitch’s place. When Dad says he likes a place, he means it.

Well, much to Dad’s considerable consternation, Mitch and Hazel closed up shop there a few years back and opened up a new bed and breakfast venture in Marlborough, Connecticut: The Farm at Carter Hill. Perhaps because of all the sweaters, paper, and storage shelving they sold Dad over the years, our family was invited out to take a look at the farm and go fishing on its private pond this weekend. We took my son in tow and hoped he’d catch his first fish of 2021. It didn’t take long!

A Relaxing Connecticut Bed & Breakfast

The Farm at Carter Hill is many things, and a top class bed and breakfast is one of them. The rooms are clean, the scenery serene, and when you wake up, there’s plenty to go out and explore. If you’re in New England and are looking for a good spot to take your kids on a “mini-cation,” this place would be hard to beat. Sure, there are a lot of so-called “kid-friendly” bed and breakfasts in Connecticut, but there are very few that boast as many cool things to do with your kids for a weekend. Pretty much everything in this article is something a child would enjoy.

It’s also a good place to bring the grandparents along. There’s plenty of fresh air and sunny places to sit and admire the countryside or watch as the grandkids catch fish and feed the goats. In a time when many are shuttered indoors, this could be exactly what your family needs to feel alive again.

Goats, Sheep, and Ducks!

This is a working farm and there are a number of animals who call it their home. They seem friendly enough and are eager for the bag of feed Mitch and Hazel will sell you for $1. Most of them are in an enclosure with a few trusted enough to walk around and say hello.

Frankly, the experience reminded me a lot of going to a fair in a year where, sadly, I couldn’t take my kids to one. These friendly animals did their part to bring a bit of normalcy back to my son’s life, which I appreciated. Further, as those of you who have read my piece on preparing for a fishing trips with kids know, having distractions is critical when fishing with young children. I’d be hard pressed to think of a better distraction than farm animals.

Socially Distant Events

Visiting The Farm at Carter Hill yesterday was the first time I’ve felt normal for ages. For over a year now, I’ve felt like I’ve had to look over my shoulder for some foe I’ll never see. So many of the things I used to do with my kids are off the table for the foreseeable future. It was nice to FINALLY get to do something with my son that was normal.

Now, my normal was taking him to something that seemed like a fair, with animals and cool stuff to look at. Your normal may well be going to a comedy show, classic car show, concert, or cookout. As so much of this venue is outdoors, you can do all of those things even in these unusual times. If you’re interested in checking out what events there are to look forward to, check out their Facebook page for upcoming events and promotions.

A Perfect Country Wedding

Looking for a wedding destination that’s close to home, but still feels like an adventure? The Farm at Carter Hill has just what you need. They offer two buildings for your big day. As you can see from the photos they’ve graciously allowed me to reproduce, you can either rent a rustic barn with cast iron fixtures, or a more classical white pavilion. Regardless of which you choose, you’ll have the entire grounds for some memorable wedding pictures.

Not for nothing, but the pond we’ll talk about below would give you some great opportunities for fishing wedding pictures too (any woman’s dream, I know).

Cool Knick Knacks and Oddities Abound

I’m convinced that Mitch and Hazel’s retirement plan is to link up with the guys from that “American Pickers” show at some point. When they aren’t running this Connecticut bed and breakfast, I’d almost think they’re on that show. The Farm at Carter Hill abounds with old advertisements, collectibles, knick knacks, and generally just “fun cool stuff.” You could spend a day just walking around and looking at all the pieces of Americana they’ve collected.

Perhaps the coolest of the cool is this 1/2 scale F4U Corsair. I don’t talk much about my love of old warbirds on this site, but this right here is my absolute favorite and it was a nice touch. The story of how Mitch acquired it was even better. Apparently, he put an add in the paper that said, “Looking for an airplane to hang from a tree.” Then this showed up! Well, it might be a bit much for the tree to handle, but it’s darn cool nonetheless.

Finally – a Connecticut Bed and Breakfast With Great Fishing!

I’d have a hard time believing there is a Connecticut bed and breakfast out there with better fishing than The Farm at Carter Hill. Yeah, it’s not on the ocean or some giant lake. It doesn’t need to be. Mitch and Hazel have a great little fishing pond right on the property that lives up to all the lore small farm ponds typically enjoy. There’s a healthy population of largemouth bass and pumpkinseeds for your kids to catch and enjoy. Here’s how our day went.

The Fishing Report

The three of us arrived at Mitch & Hazel’s a little past noon. Our first stop was the farm pond Dad has been talking about all these years. It’s a small little thing – rather unassuming at first – but I quickly sized it up as a great place to go fishing with kids. It has several features that make it so:

• You can reach every inch of it from a clear, unobstructed shore.
• The water has clear, deep pockets where you can cast without getting all gunked up with weeds.
• The slope is slight and safe for little kids to go near. My son managed not to fall in and he wasn’t being particularly careful!
• I could see fish – and a LOT of them!

It’s such a great place for kids to fish that I think I’ll have to take my daughter along next time and put her on some fish too. Darned nap time keeps getting in the way of taking her fishing with daddy!

The First Cast

I’d brought a few simple rigs with us. Two Ugly Sticks, my son’s favorite St. Croix panfish rod, and my St. Croix Avid and Legend Elite. Drop shots were tied on five of six rods, but I had a watermelon 5″ Senko tied onto my Avid. As I could see several bass immediately, this is the one I started with. One cast, a few twitches, and there was a fish on for my kid to reel in.

We kept fishing for the better part of ninety minutes or so, and the action was nonstop. We must have caught at least 15 largemouth and another 20 sunfish. The largest was only about 12″, but Mitch says there are some larger ones lurking in the weeds. It’s a bit early in the year yet and we couldn’t get anything to hit a fast moving bait (that we could keep up over the emerging weeds), so we “had to settle” for the multitude of fish we found in the deep pools around the pond. No one was complaining!

I was extremely excited as while my son has caught plenty of fish “all by himself” by now, they’ve usually come on a drop shot with a worm or Gulp minnow. Yesterday, I’m very proud to say that he set the hook on a fish with a plastic worm for the first time in his life! While it is a great lure for fishing with kids, it still takes some skill to hook a fish with one, and it was great to see my son have this success. Many thanks to Mitch and Hazel for giving him the opportunity!

Just a Note – Please Be Respectful

While Mitch and Hazel are gracious hosts who are very relaxed and welcoming, I’d just like to remind my readers that this is private property. This is not a public fishery and if you go down to check it out, you should be on your best behavior. It is a place that patrons of the farm are allowed to fish in a respectful manner. This means that fishing should be one of many things that you do (I’d recommend grabbing some lunch there on a day trip, or staying the night if you want to make an adventure out of it). You should also be vigilant to “carry in, carry out” and not leave a mess of trash behind you. Likewise, remember that these fish are their property. Plan on catching and releasing your quarry, and put the fish back gently.

Not for nothing, but this is the kind of fishing pond that is special for children. While it’s not my place to tell any adults not to fish it (I certainly did), I will simply say that the size of the fish is perfect for putting a giant smile on a kid’s face. I’d bring along the kids and do more helping than fishing if I were you. This is the kind of place that kids can really get the confidence they need to fall in love with this sport. Let’s all try and keep it special for them.

To sum it up, this is a true gem of a place and I hope all of my readers will do their best to keep it that way!

Conclusion: The Farm at Carter Hill is a Great Place to Take the Kids

As you can see, we had a blast in our short time at the farm, and we didn’t even get to scratch the surface of all the many events it has to offer. Whether you’re looking for a cozy Connecticut bed and breakfast, the perfect wedding venue, or just an outdoor compound to take the little ones to for some fresh air and good vibes, The Farm at Carter Hill ought to be on your short list of Connecticut destinations this summer.

If you don’t believe me, just consider my son’s critique. About an hour after we got home, he was already asking, “Hey Dad, when can we go back to Mitch’s place?”

His grandpa is so proud!

Interested in visiting the Farm at Carter Hill? Call 860-906-7866, visit their website, or stop by their Facebook page for more information.

Thanks,

John Paxton