An award-winning bed and breakfast in the historic district of downtown will soon be offering their guests a new amenity: fresh milk.
On April 1, construction will begin on a small freestall barn, located in the front lawn of the Bayfront Marin House. When complete, the barn will hold a herd of eight cows.
Co-owner Sandy Wieber says that the addition won’t be too much of a change for her, as she spent more than 10 years milking cows every day on her parents’ dairy farm in southeastern Pennsylvania. “There’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh milk,” says Sandy. “The construction will require us to lose some of our patio seating, as well as three palm trees and of course the hammock. But we think that’s a small price to pay for the convenience of not having to buy cream for our coffee anymore.”
“Running a bed and breakfast pretty much starts at sun-up, and ends when the cows come home,” adds co-owner Mike Wieber. “We actually think that adding the cows to our property will buy us an hour or so extra sleep each night.”
Mary Berman, who has worked at the inn since it first opened in 2003, looks forward to having access to fresh milk. “It will be great with our amazing french toast,” she says. “But honey, I ain’t milking any cows!”
Jane Gordon, animal lover extraordinaire and inn employee, will act as the herd’s veterinarian, and Sandy Wieber plans on handling most of the milking duties, with other staff members pitching in as needed.
“Our team has a real affinity for the dairy industry,” says Sandy. “From Mike’s weekly ice cream in the summer, to our beloved milkmaid outfits, this really seemed like a perfect fit for the Bayfront Marin House.”
Construction will last from April 1 until early next year. The Wiebers hope to have cows in the barn by February 30, 2016.