Little Bear Farm

12/11/2023

Merry Christmas! We are in full on holiday and ski season mode here at Little Bear Farm. this month we opened our coziest coolest spot ever. Check it out and come visit.

https://www.airbnb.com/h/littlebearhouse

09/27/2023

October is the month we celebrate the Woolly Worm. This glorious little caterpillar is the subject of weather forecastes and folklore regarding the prediction of winter weather. This little fellow shows a large band of black on his head (early cold start to the winter. Small Red band (brief warm up mid winter) and a short burst of cold going into spring.

Banner Elk Celebrates these little creatures with their Annual Woolly Worm Festival on October 21-22, 2023. There will be vendors, activities, parades and all sorts of silly celebration but the main event is the wooly worm race. So start grooming, conditioning and training your entry now to be ready to compete!!!

08/07/2023

Banner Elk is a special place any time of the year. August is especially nice. At the height of summer, the temps are mild and provide a welcome escape from the heat all around. As a tiny town, (we have one stop light) Banner Elk has a small town feel but offers an unusual variety of events and activities not usually found in a small town. For August here is a small sample of the events in addition to all the local businesses and activities.

-August 3,10,17,24: Free Concerts-Tate Evans Park, Banner Elk. If you haven't visited this park you are in for a treat. This park offers a paved walking trail that runs along a beautiful creek. There are a variety of seating, picnicking, and play areas. These concerts are offered in an outdoor concert seating area that seats individuals and families. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket and enjoy.
-August 4, 11, 18: Family Fun Night Series at Brick Oven-Beech Mountain- We don't have personal experience with this series but have heard good things.
-August 4,11,18: Grandfather by Night-Grandfather Mountain- Night or day, Grandfather Mountain is worth the time to visit. By night, its even more special
-August 5,6: Art on the Green- Down Town Banner Elk- This art/Craft show is right in the center of town. It offers a variety of artists and craftsmen from all around. Enjoy the atmosphere and shop for beautiful and unique gifts and treasures.
-August 11,13: Avery County Art and Master Crafts Festival-Sugar Mtn Resort- We don't have personal experience with this festival but we have heard good things.

At Little Bear Farm, it's all good. Whether you decide to drive the 3 miles up NC scenic Byway 194 to Banner Elk, or the 3 miles down 194 to Valle Crucis, or 11 miles into Boone, there's plenty to do in the cool summer air. Or you could just stay at the farm and enjoy the quiet mountain atmosphere from the porch. Wether its deer, turkeys or some other wildlife passing through, a visit to our little pond, or checking out our mown walking trail along the edge of the field and woods, Little Bear Farm offers a cool quiet escape from the heat and bustle of summer in August.

So come on in, sit a spell, take your shoes off... Little Bear Farm is the place to stay in Banner Elk

07/22/2023

Our little pond got some love this week. It’s shaping up nicely. Dustin McGlamery did a great job. Now to get some grass growing.

05/21/2023

Doris Bliss and her husband Jay Bliss were the original owners of the farm we call Little Bear Farm. Doris grew up in the area. She was born in the valley below NC194 just off Tom Shook Road in what was then known as Hoot Owl Hollar. Doris wrote and published two books recalling her childhood in Hoot Owl Hollar and later in the house across the road from Little Bear Farm. Her recollections of the events she describes are the memories of a child raised by Bill and Hester Smith along with her 7 siblings, the youngest of which was Lowell or Dobie. Her stories bring community activities and people from the area to life as well as highlighting local business such as the Taylor House in Valle Crucis, and the community store, now known as the Matney Mall. Doris’s Books are available to the public and can be purchased by those interested by contacting us at Little Bear Farm for more information. https://littlebearnc.com/

05/21/2023

Tickets go on sale in just a few weeks. This is a great piece of local history to visit!

View our listings for stay availability.
https://www.airbnb.com/h/turtlehouse-littlebearfarm

https://www.airbnb.com/h/studio-littlebearfarm

✨We have news!!! ✨

Tickets for the ✨30th Anniversary of Autumn at Oz will go live on June 16th!

Festival dates: September 8th- 10th, 15th-17th, 22nd-24th!

Be sure to let us know in the comments who you are bringing to skip down the yellow brick road! 👠👠

Visit www.landofoznc.com for details.

05/12/2023

Anyone want to take a guess at what we are going to do with this fabulous piece of vintage junk? Winning guess gets 10% discount on their first booking at Little Bear House when it opens for guests later this summer! Like and share with your friends Post your guess in the comments below! and visit us at https://littlebearnc.com/

05/07/2023

Last summer we realized that the old Matney barn had become unstable and frankly dangerous. It was more than 100 years old and one of the early buildings in the community so it was a painful decision to remove it as it was beyond repair.

We decided to add a small pond with a little waterfall for a point of interest. It was so cute. Was. In November when the heavy rains fell the streams feeding the pond overflowed it and washed the drain system out draining the pond. So we have waiting since then for the excavator to arrive and repair the pond. Follow our journey as we learn to create andestablish our pond. The painting in this series is based on a photo of the barn about 1978 when the Bliss family used it to house chickens, cattle, horses, and hogs out back. The land in front was their garden.

05/04/2023

We keep honeybees here on the property. 1-3 times per year the hive divides and swarms looking for new digs. While the swarms can be loud and somewhat unnerving, they are mostly harmless as long as you aren’t handling them. If you encounter a swarm while visiting, simply let us know and observe them from a distance.

04/28/2023

Spring is happening on Winding stair gap (NC Scenic byway-hwy 194 in Valle Crucis, NC. this beautiful steep twisty turny little road makes its way up the Valley Mountain to a short distance to our air bnb vacation rental property. Look us up at https://littlebearnc.com/ for more information about our dog friendly vacation rentals in Banner Elk, NC. Like and follow our page for more updates and info

04/27/2023

It’s spring here at Little Bear Farm. Have you thought about a vacation rental in the mountains of North Carolina? Check us out at Little Bear Farm Whether its for a quick weekend get away or a family vacation. Find us at https://littlebearnc.com/

04/17/2023

08/18/2021