The Farmhouse Beer Garden

Amazing beer garden and eatery near Farmington (technically, Farmington Falls). It's on Rte 2, so you can find it. For the purposes of full disclosure, I was paid to play music there. But, truth-be-told, if I just happened to roll-in from a Saturday drive and had the same experience, I'd still be five-starring this. The setting, outdoors, in a field, near an old barn, with a hayfield nearby (being hayed when I started playing) is idyllic. If that was simply it, the surroundings would be a plus. But, add to it a really well-planned beer, food experience, and then making the effort to set-up a rustic stage, with lights strung around, with a covered tent for larger gatherings, and this is a real worthwhile place to take a drive to experience on a Saturday afternoon (and I'm sure, a Friday night or Sunday, too). The people there while I was playing were a nice mix of young and old. Couples with dogs, children, there was a family gathering under the tent. The crowd dug what I was playing, which is often more obscure covers than the average run-of-the-mill performer, although I do play "Wonderwall," folks. What was nice, here, is that people appreciated my own songs. The owners are the best. Keely made sure I put in an order for food before I was done playing. She made me a wonderful veggie, gluten-free pizza and then, when I was sitting with an old friend and her family after I'd packed up at the end of the night, she brought me out a beer. As busy as it was and as well-cared for as her patrons were, she still had the sense to be sure the music performer was also part of her circle of concern and care. This is all-too-rare in my experience playing music, More often than not, you get paid and that's it. And that's fine. I would definitely go back just to sit and have a beer and food and here someone else playing music. Oh, and they have a wonderful indoor dining area. I'm guessing that this can be rented out for parties and gatherings, too.