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 Meeting the herd of over 50 horses and ponies is also a
pleasant way to take a break. The teaching staff are always
eager to welcome you to the barns and tell you all about the
riding, driving and horsemanship lessons that are happening.
They are proud of "their" barn, students and horses.
We welcome you to sit for a minute and enjoy watching the
magic between horses and human happen as we “harness the
healing power of the horse” at Pony Farm and Horse Power
Our
small animal barn is perhaps the all
time-favorite for all ages who come to the Lodge. Springtime
is particularly fun with baby animals and chicks just
begging to be picked up and hugged. However, one can never
tell when a miniature horse or goat may make its way into
the lodge itself for a visit. Surprises abound on the farm.
 Autumn
The rural setting of the Lodge encourages all of us to
enjoy the changing seasons. Cornstalks and pumpkins herald
in the autumn when the apples are at their most crisp.
Pick your own apples and pumpkins.
Our old fashioned cider press is at the ready should
anyone want to enjoy the delicious taste of fresh apple
juice. Of course, homemade apple pies tempt even the most
arduous dieter! And, there's always the fun of an apple pie
eating contest!
Fall is also a great time to take a picnic lunch packed
by our staff and explore local sights. We can give you
directions to the Falls, Miller State
Park, The White Ledges, the Heald Conservation Tract or
Shielding Forest with their self guided Nature tours. All of
these places are just minutes away from the Lodge and are
free to the public.
Best of all, for those wishing to picnic, hike and
explore, Temple Mountain Ski Area, once known as a terrific
small family mountain, has been bought by John and Connie
Kieley from Temple. They have just finished selling it to the State
of NH so that it can be added to Miller State Park…..linking
the Wapack Trail all the way to Crotched Mountain. What an
added treat to be able to hike, mountain bike and picnic up
on the top of Temple Mountain while looking southward to
Massachusetts, eastward to Maine, westward to Vermont and
northward to see the White Mountains.
 For those wishing to explore in different nooks and
crannies, Peterborough, Wilton and Milford are just begging
for your visit. Continuing on past Temple Mountain,
Peterborough is a short hop down the hill. With all the
upscale shops in Depot Square with everything from beautiful
art and gardening wares, to antiques, to one of a kind
clothes, to a ‘death to the pocket book’ Toy and Children’s
stores, and awesome bookstore, there is truly something to
fulfill everyone’s wishes. Yummie specialty food and kitchen
stores also peddle their wares with food ranging from
everything from Harlowe’s Pub with music, to Pearl which
serves 12 different kinds of fresh oysters, to Aqua Bistro
of RA Gatto’s serving up true cosmopolitan dishes with many
delectable twists. Top your visit off with a trip to
the Ava Maria’s Ice Cream and Chocolate shop, truly a great
place to explore.
Traveling east on 101, guests have raved about taking the
“Antique Trail” which often includes massive Flea Markets in
addition to a Southerby’s Antique Co-op voted “Best of NH".
Farm and Garden stands make for good gifts to take home with
the “House By the Side of the Road” being the best place
ever to get any kind of plant, tree, pond or herb…it is not
to be missed by the serious or ‘wanna be’ gardener!
We also have a number of Golf Courses within easy reach
of the lodge. For those of you who want to work hard in the
morning and play a friendly game of golf in the afternoon,
let us make your reservations and bring your clubs!
We also encourage you to bring your bikes and running
shoes….We have miles of dirt and small country roads
surrounding the farm with little traffic. Let us give you a
map and let you enjoy some new territory while working up an
appetite for a great meal.
The Monadnock area is known for its terrific foliage. We
can offer uncrowded and little known secret spots to enjoy
"leaf peeking". We certainly encourage you to bring your
camera to capture the beauty of our surroundings.
 Winter
Wintertime fun abounds for all at Stepping Stone Lodge.
Bring your own boots and strap on a pair of our old
fashioned wooden snow shoes. Set out to explore the farm and
surrounding woods. We can even point you in the direction of
a beaver lodge. See if you can find their tracks. We welcome
guests to bring their own cross country skis to use at the
fabulous Windblown Ski Area. Within a very few minutes of
the lodge, this area is ideal for avid cross country skiers
or beginners. With a wide array of groomed trails through
beautiful country side, Windblown is a definite stop off for
anyone who loves to be outside in the snow! The staff at the
lodge will even make your reservation prior to your arrival
so you can get right out on the trail.
 For the downhill skier or snowboarder, Crotched Mountain Ski
Area is also within about a half hour of the farm. This full
service mountain has really come alive within the past two
or three years. Again, it boasts a full service ski and
rental shop, terrain park and trails for all levels. A full
cafeteria serves up good food while the bar helps ‘wet your
whistle’ at the end of the day. Again, we are happy to make
reservations for ski or board rentals or get tickets
reserved ahead of time for easy pick up at the door.
As winter draws to its close, make sure your visit
includes a trip to Ben’s Sugar Shack about a half mile down
the road from the farm. Ben Fiske is a local celebrity and
has won many prizes for his maple syrup. He loves to have
people drop in to see the sap boiling away. You can
take home real maple syrup that you watched melt down into
sweetness and delight. If the snow is still good, you can
even enjoy some ‘sugar on snow’, just like in the old days.
Nighttime fun can also be found around the "Campfire Circle"
right outside the lodge. Pull up a log, toast a marshmallow
and hope someone in your group brought along a guitar. We
even have songbooks with most of the "old favorites".
 Spring
Springtime offers yet another exciting season to enjoy
the farm. As the warm weather arrives, so do the baby farm
animals. Sprinkled all over the farm, you will find goats,
lambs, pigs, white doves, rabbits and chickens…and the
miniature horses, of course. These little treasures delight
all our souls as they amble through the greening grass.
Guests are welcome to get right in the fence and pet them.
Better yet, help us lead them back to the barn for the
night. You can be a real Huck Finn and help us give them
dinner and tuck them in bed. My guess is that you will be
back the next morning to feed them again and get them to
their daytime pasture!!!
For the more athletic among us, we have miles of dirt
roads for running, jogging or simply just strolling along to
welcome in springtime. Better yet, bring your own bike and
enjoy the scenic byways of our Monadnock area. Detailed maps
are available as yet another way to make everyone's stay
most enjoyable.
The gardens at the farm also begin to come alive again as
the weather warms. Watch as the flower boxes in the windows
sport their seasonal themes or dig in the dirt to see the
first shoot poke its head to the warming sun.
 Better yet, help us design and begin to plant our big new
herb, flower and vegetable garden right in the front of the
lodge. Complete with bird feeding stations, bean pole
teepee, water garden, tucked away places “to sit and think a
spell” and flag pole, this new garden is an exciting
addition. It will ensure fresh flowers on the tables and
fresh herbs in the food. Raising the flag in the morning
will help bring in a good new day. With a fieldstone
grilling pit, we should even be able to cook right at garden
side so you have the benefit of freshly roasted meats and
vegetables for your dining pleasure….
We are also planning on planting a big pumpkin patch at the
end of the garden. By the beginning of summer, come visit
and mark your pumpkin. We will be giving away pumpkins
to our guests in the fall, with a prize of a free weekend to
the person who’s pumpkin grew the biggest!
Finally, springtime would not be complete if you did not go
down to the local dairy farm and buy some of their farm
fresh, homemade ice cream. They are one of the last fully
operational dairy farms in this area. We do a lot of things
in collaboration with them and they are terrific people and
farmers. Their store has lots of yummie farm treats and is a
definite ‘must see’ on your visit to the lodge.
 Whatever the season
Let us help you make your stay just what your heart
desires. If you want to visit the Frye’s Measure Mill
and Water Powered Museum just down the road, let us find out
for you when it is open. If you want to go to church, let us
direct you. If you want a piano player or special cake for
the ‘one big fancy’ meal, let us find just the right person
to play and bake. If you want an outside event, let us order
the tents and get the seating ready for your family reunion.
In short, we want you to enjoy your stay and come back for
years to come. We love all our repeat business!!!
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