Bed and Breakfast
Whitefish Bay Farm Bed and Breakfast
In 2020, due to the difficulties presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, we made the decision to permanently close Whitefish Bay Farm Bed and Breakfast. It took the two of us nearly 8 years to restore the farmhouse and make it into a warm and friendly environment for a B&B. It was a difficult decision to close, as we has enjoyed many good years operating the B&B and meeting guests who came from all 50 state in the U.S. and over 45 foreign countries. Because the B&B had been such an integral part of our farm, we decided to keep some of the memories alive with the following description of the B&B and its life from 1991 to 2020.
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We’re located on the quiet side in Door County, Wisconsin. The restored 1908 American Foursquare farmhouse was opened as a B&B in 1991. The old fashioned charm of wood floors and wide baseboards is found in each of the guest rooms. Each room features a queen or a king sized bed, comfortable chairs, good reading lamps, and an attached private bathroom.
Each morning an abundant homemade breakfast was served at the Scandinavian style dining room table. Here guests had an opportunity to meet and chat with each other. All items on the changing menu were made “from scratch”. Many of the fruits, most of the vegetables and the “farm fresh” eggs were grown on the farm or produced locally.
Following breakfast, a tour of the farm was offered to all guests. Weather and schedules permitting, the tour afforded guests the opportunity to learn how the farm operates and to meet the sheep on a close, personal basis. To learn more in depth about our life with the sheep, Dick’s book, Ruminations of a Grumpy Shepherd, can be purchased online from the Whitefish Bay Farm Mercantile.
The common room was available for lounging or reading and there was a front porch with chairs for warm weather enjoyment. An outdoor bench offered a daytime view of the farm with the sheep and a nighttime view of the stars. The Art Gallery, was open mid May through mid-October, and featured handweavings, handspun and hand-dyed yarns, pottery and other fiber items. Handspinning, handweaving or fiber dyeing took place most days.
The Farm is located next to Whitefish Dunes State Park and near Clark Lake and Cave Point. It is along the Door County back road bicycle route and within easy driving distance of all Door County attractions.
The Bed & Breakfast Guest Rooms
The guest rooms in the B&B are named for spring flowers and original artwork in each room carries out this theme. Each room is simply and individually decorated.
Buttercup Biscuit and gold sponge painting is found in this Scandinavian influenced room featuring a king sized bed. The room overlooks the perennial flower garden and a pine tree plantation across the country road.
Trillium Reminiscent of the Art and Crafts movement, this comfortable room is sponge painted in soft caramel and cream color, has a queen sized bed, and stenciling in the bath. Shades of blue and green are found in the quilt and artwork. Mature maple, birch and cedar trees outside the windows give this room a secluded feeling.
AppleBlossom A chair rail, cream on white sponge painting, four poster queen sized maple bed with matching armoire, and wing-backed chairs give this room an Early American flavor. This romantic room is decorated in shades of green, rose and cream with white accents. View mature cedar and birch trees through the large windows.
Iris An intimate room featuring the family antiques. A queen sized “Jenny Lind” bed showcases a turn of the century crocheted coverlet made by Dick’s grandmother. Also in the room is Gretchen’s grandfather’s tool chest with handworked dovetailing. Dusky lilac with crisp white accents are this room’s colors. The barns and the vegetable garden can be seen from this room.
The Breakfast
Breakfast was served “family style” at 8:00 AM. Breakfast began with a fruit delight and was followed by pancakes, waffles, or egg entrees with accompaniments. A choice of freshly ground and brewed house blend coffee, assorted teas, milk and fruit juice completed the menu. Some of the “from scratch” breakfast favorites included:
- Heavenly Bananas, Swedish Pears, Fruit Frappe or Cherry Delicious
- Sky-High Baked Apple Pancake, Oatmeal Surprise Pancakes, Sour Cream Cherry Pancakes, Norwegian Waffles or Cheery Cherry French Toast
- Oven Omelet, Vegetable Strata, Cheese Puff, Country Egg Soufflé or Sweet Pepper Eggs with Cheese
- Apple Streusel Coffee Cake, Cherry Tea Scones or Almost Famous Cherry Muffins
- Orange Juice Bread, Cherry Bounce Nut Bread or Cherry Coffee Cake Supreme.
Gretchen’s cookbook, Breakfast at Whitefish Bay Farm III, (revised in 2015) is available for purchase. Go to the Whitefish Bay Farm Mercantile page for more information or to order.
