Holbrook couple creates country getaway on historic family property
Shane and Deanna Cole on their farm in Holbrook. The couple created Cole’s Greene Acres Farm, a multifaceted farmstay operation nestled within the 900-acre Cole family property. (Photo by Samantha Karam)
Terry Cole, a seventh generation Holbrook scion, restored and combined two 1830s log houses built by previous Coles, a structure his son Shane now lives in. The renovated house, two log houses abutted at the corners with a modern addition in between, has a distinctive L shape. (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Devono Photography)
The outdoor pavilion, which the Coles use to host wedding receptions and other events (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Devono Photography)
The Cole family has been living in Wayne Township for eight generations, largely making a living from farming.
A seventh-generation scion, Terry Cole was a schoolteacher and wrestling coach for Central Greene. He spent his life preserving his family’s history and growing the farm to its current 900 acres by buying adjacent properties.
In the late 1980s, Terry and his wife Jane opened a traditional bed and breakfast on the property. He also restored and combined two 1830s log houses built by previous Coles, a structure his son Shane now lives in. The renovated house, two log houses abutted at the corners with a modern addition in between, has a distinctive L shape.
After moving back to Greene County following a 26-year stint in the military, Shane and his wife Deanna established Cole’s Greene Acres Farm, a farm experience and country getaway spot nestled within the family’s 900-acre property.
“I served 10 years in the navy and another 16 in the army,” Shane said.
Cole’s Greene Acres Farm, located on Hoover’s Run Road near Kuhntown, currently has two rental units as part of a multifaceted operation that gives guests a chance to experience country life.
Relying mostly on referrals from Airbnb, a site allowing users to offer or rent lodging, Shane and Deanna have had guests from Pittsburgh and as far away as Baltimore, Washington, DC and New York. In deer and turkey season, they also rent to hunters.
Additionally, they use the property to host events like weddings and showers. To host wedding receptions, a pavilion that accommodates between 70 and 100 people sits next to an open-air dance floor. For smaller events, there’s a fire pit surrounded by six porch swings. In the evening the area is lit by string lights.
Overnight visitors can choose between two accommodations. One is an apartment over the garage that sits just across the street from the farmhouse. It comes with three full bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, living room and laundry room. The other is a cabin called the Red Onion, which lies on a hill about a half mile behind the house. A secluded getaway, the cabin has three bedrooms, full bath, full kitchen, living room and laundry room. It can sleep up to six people. While there is no phone or cell service, the cabin is equipped with Dish network service, heat, air conditioning and a wood burning stove.
Both the cabin and apartment have barbecue grills.
“The cabin is great for folks who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and enjoy nature and relax,” Shane said.
Cole’s Greene Acres Farm offers an array of activities to keep visitors entertained during their stay.
Guests can gather duck or chicken eggs for breakfast. They can pet the goats and watch the Coles feed the hogs and herds of Black Galloway and Scottish Highlander cows.
With fishing tackle provided by the Coles, visitors can fish for bass, crappie and blue gill in the farm’s two ponds, then enjoy a fish fry. Come evening, they can make s’mores around the fire pit, listen to campfire stories or join in on singalongs.
For a bit of exercise, guests can hike the farm trails or take an ATV ride. They can also learn how to make a dream catcher, paint a barn quilt, see how to process a chicken from beginning to end, then try their hand on the farm loom to make a kitchen rug. They can also pick wild blackberries, raspberries and apples to turn into jams, preserves and ciders.
“We like to talk to our guests before they arrive to find out what kind of activities they’d like to do to tailor their stay to their liking,” Deanna said.
In the future, the Cole’s may introduce glamping, short for glamorous camping, by installing soft wall, canvas tents or yurts, circular tents with wooden frame walls. They may also introduce classes on canning, freeze drying and dehydrating foods, butchering and ways to preserve foods in a root cellar.
“The last year of Shane’s military service he was stationed in Amish country and learned how to butcher, smoke meats, even make lard,” Deanna said.
Right now, just before the spring thaw, the Coles are tapping their maple trees to make syrup. Something visitors might want to do is take some of the syrup from the sugar shack on a cold, snowy day and freeze it in the snow to make maple candy.
“Shane and I were both raised to learn how to live off the land and provide meat, vegetables and fruit for our families,” Deanna said. “I come from a long line of Southerners who were long-time farmers and crafters.”
The Coles are members of both the Greene County Chamber of Commerce and Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency. They post upcoming events on Facebook and plan to put up a website in the near future.
“For the past five years, we’ve devoted our time to building our infrastructure,” Shane said. “Now we want to grow our farm experience operation. My father spent his lifetime putting the farm together and I want to keep it going.”
Cole’s Greene Acres Farm is located at 502 Hoover’s Run Road in Holbrook. Call 724-451-8568 or visit the farm’s Facebook page, Living On The Farm, for more information or to schedule a visit.