About Us+History

We provide a welcoming and restorative space for men to relax and leave the outside world behind. We carry out this mission of sustainable community in several interconnected and interdependent ways:

Warm Hospitality

We are committed to providing a welcoming, non-judgmental and comfortable space for men to relax and shed the trappings of busy modern life. In the “aloha spirit” of Hawaii that inspired us to create Frog Meadow Farm B&B and Massage Oasis, our guests are considered “ohana”, or extended family, and are welcomed with a warm hug. It is our hope that following your stay at Frog Meadow, you will return home refreshed and renewed, having taken some of our Vermont “aloha spirit” back home with you to share with others.

Our six unique suites, rooms and cottages offer comfortable accommodations for couples and singles…and there’s so much to do at Frog Meadow’s 63-acres of private paradise – including the option of doing nothing at all!

Camaraderie, Connection & Community

Relax, de-stress and have fun! Taken from the word “recreation”, use your time at Frog Meadow as an opportunity to re-create yourself! 

Enjoy Frog Meadow’s spring-fed swimming & lap pond, explore our 4-season hiking and snowshoeing trails and connect with nature, yourself and others. Take the time to release muscle aches, stiffness, pains and renew your body and soul with a soak in our 750-gallon, eco-friendly wood-fired hot-tub, followed by a 60- or 90-minute therapeutic massage with Dave.

Learning without Limits

When we first built Frog Meadow, we set about creating a sanctuary and place of respite, to restore and rejuvenate ourselves. Twelve years later when we opened up our home as an Oasis for Men, it was with the hope that they too would have the opportunity to re-create themselves as we had and draw from the special place that we had crafted.

Our men’s gatherings, workshops & retreats provide a rich opportunity to celebrate, transform, integrate and heal body, mind, spirit, sexuality and purpose…in a relaxing and comfortable, supportive and safe environment for men.

• Be sure to check our men’s gatherings, workshops & retreats calendar for info about our frequent men’s yoga, massage, spirituality and sexuality workshops, potluck dinner gatherings, outdoor outings and more!

• Subscribe to our picture-packed, fun and informative e-newsletter to be up-to-date!

Healing Touch

Male touch is a powerful and healing gift. Dave’s massage training combined with his innate intuitive nature uniquely qualifies him for this work. Dave’s philosophy is that the body, mind, and spirit are intricately intertwined components of the whole being. If any one part is out of alignment all three suffer. By assisting in bringing the body into balance, the mind and spirit benefit as well. Dave honors all those who arrive on his table with an individual treatment plan based on input from the client and what he feels with his hands when the work begins.

Dave is especially interested in the neuro-muscular techniques of Slow Passive Joint Movement and re-patterning work where muscles are taught to let go of their tension through slow, gentle and soothing passive movements of the shoulder and hip joints. Dave is also trained in Swedish, Deep Tissue and Myofascial Release techniques. Let him custom design a massage for you!

Wicked Good Food!

Much of the food served at Frog Meadow Farm is from our gardens or sourced locally, most from the same zip code!

The eggs, bread, yogurt, cheese, apple cider and many other items served at Frog Meadow are made here at Frog Meadow, from Newfane or the immediate surrounding area, produced by artisanal bakers, cheese makers, and local farms.

In-season, you will find our own native berries, apples, preserves, edible flowers, asparagus, fresh herbs – and of course, honey from our beehives and apple cider from our orchard- at the breakfast table!

Please let us know when you make your reservation if you have any special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.) and we will do our best to accommodate you.

 

Work Camp & Fellowship Programs

Frog Meadow’s spring and fall Work Camp programs are 10 to 14 days of camaraderie and fun mixed in with work as we get Frog Meadow Farm ready for summer season and buttoned up for winter season.

Work Campers can stay for a minimum of 3 nights or up to the whole time! For $25/night we provide a bed, breakfast and lunch. Nightly BYOB dinners are a shared work and expense “group effort” that everyone participates in and enjoys! In return we ask for 6 hours of work for each night spent at Frog Meadow during Work Camp. There is typically tree and trail work, yard cleanup, garden work, housecleaning, outdoor furniture moving, etc. In the evening there is the hot tub and great company!

We are always interested in hearing from skilled gardeners, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters and other with similar talents to help us with ongoing projects at Frog Meadow. Based on the time of year and our needs we will create a Work-in-Kind Fellowship Program that allows you to participate in the Frog Meadow Community while we get the work done on a trade basis.

Click here for more information on Work Camp, our Garden Fellowships and Fellowship Programs. Or call 877.365.7242 or email us today!

Agricultural & Wildlife Sustainability

Frog Meadow is located on the site of the Wheeler Farm, a 1700’s dairy farm and apple orchard that bordered historic Newfane Village’s original mountaintop site atop Newfane Hill.

Our extensive perennial and annual gardens, varietal apple orchard, fruit and vegetable gardens are pollinated by our three active beehives, butterflies, hummingbirds and bats who also call Frog Meadow their home.

In addition, owls, hawks, songbirds, wild turkeys, pileated woodpeckers, otters, deer, the occasional moose – and of course, our many species of frogs – share their wonderful habitat with our guests.

Locally Produced Products

At the Frog Meadow Store you will find honey harvested from our own beehives, as well as our locally-produced, small-batch Fruit Preserves, hand-crafted 3-year-aged Naked Cheddar® Cheese, Brook Cottage Vermont Maple Syrup.

Inspired by the spa-like tranquility of Frog Meadow Farm, our hand-made, all-natural Bodycare & Aromatherapy Products are available in our two signature fragrances:

• Balsam & Cedar: an aromatic, blend of balsam and cedar essential oils for the fresh and relaxing essence of the Vermont woods), or:
• Tea Tree & Lemongrass: an antiseptic and aromatic blend of tea tree & lavender essential oils paired with the stimulating benefits of lemongrass to brighten and soothe your mood;  and are featured throughout Frog Meadow for your enjoyment.

While staying with us, be sure to try our Frog Meadow Liquid Hand Soaps and Bar Soaps, Hair & Body Shampoos, Skin Moisturizers, Facial Moisturizers, Aromatherapy Candles and other natural, hand-crafted products to sooth, relax and revitalize.

Sustainable Community Support

We support and sustain qualified non-profit organizations within our community where we can make a difference. Beneficiaries of our community support initiatives have included the following non-profits:

• Aids Project of Southern Vermont
  

  We support and sustain LGBTQ -focused non-profit organizations within our community where we can make a difference

  provides services to people living with HIV/AIDS and their families in Windham, Bennington and southern Windsor counties. To these families, the Project offers case management services, advocacy and referrals, and a nutritious food program. APSV”s prevention program joins the power of social networks with the drive to find people who do not yet know they are HIV-positive, to offer them HIV testing and counseling, to help connect them to care, and to make sure they have access to medication and support.

• Pride Center of Vermont (PCVT) is New England’s most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and the health and safety of LGBTQ and questioning Vermonters. PCVT’s drop-in resource center, health testing & screening programs, community meeting spaces, 3,000-volume lending library, David Bohnett Cyber Center, and social events all help to build community and create increased access to information and resources for all. PCVT also houses the Vermont Queer Archives to preserve LGBTQ Vermont’s unique history.
• New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) is home to circus arts for professionals and the general public, supporting students of all skill levels, ages, abilities and aspirations. NECCA truly makes a difference in nourishing our local community and the LGBTQ community in particular! NECCA’s “Circus in the Neighborhood” outreach & scholarship programs help at-risk, LGBT and questioning youth and provides them with the opportunity to discover, develop themselves and grow in an unconditional and nurturing LGBT-friendly environment that they can call home.
• Fenway Health is a world renown community health center and research institution with three locations in Boston, serving as the largest out-patient HIV Center in New England. Fenway Health is especially known for its work to make life healthier for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, and for people living with HIV and AIDS. Fenway Health cares for over 33,000 patients, including 2,200 living with HIV. The mission of Fenway Health is to enhance the well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community and all people through access to the highest quality health care, education, research and advocacy.
• Rock River Preservation whose mission is to preserve public access to recreation areas along the Rock River. RRP is committed to protecting this natural environment through conservation and education initiatives alongside local landowners and state and federal agencies.
• Out in the Open (formerly Green Mountain Crossroads) connects rural LGBTQ people ​to build community, visibility, ​knowledge, and power through programming, events and provides resources in southeastern Vermont and neighboring towns in southwestern New Hampshire and northwestern Massachusetts.

Green Living

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  We use natural, vegetable-based, earth- and septic-friendly soaps, detergents and cleaning products whenever possible at Frog Meadow.

  In the spirit of being green and minimizing our waste output, we use natural, vegetable-based, earth- and septic-friendly soaps, detergents and cleaning products whenever possible at Frog Meadow.

• We recycle or re-use all paper, plastic and metal containers, and compost all our renewable kitchen waste for use in our gardens.
• Cloth (not paper) towels are used in our kitchen and for cleaning.
• Cloth (not paper) napkins are used at mealtime.

Our History

Two hundred years ago the entire village of Newfane sat on top of Newfane Hill just a few feet from Scott and Dave’s house. Where there are now trees and a meadow there was once a jail and a courthouse, two hotels, an academy and, interestingly enough, a pillory! Then, around 1820, the whole shebang was moved 1,000 vertical feet and two miles down to the present site of Newfane Village. In the 1970’s the local historical society marked the locations of the old buildings, and now it’s possible to take a hike around the top of Newfane Hill to see where the buildings once stood.

Fast forward to 1995 when Scott and Dave were searching for the perfect home site: Dave had lived in Newfane off and on for 25 years at that point and when the piece of land where Frog Meadow now sits came on the market it was love at first sight.

The property was covered with thick brush and trees, and there was a 200-year-old house foundation (from the old village) with three-foot diameter trees growing out of it. But, when Dave climbed a tree and saw the view, it was all over but the building.

Now that Scott and Dave had this great place, it needed a name. One Thanksgiving as Dave was preparing the menu (Tuscan turkey with chestnut stuffing, pumpkin risotto and wild mushroom polenta) and printing it up for fun, he put “Frog Meadow Farm” at the top of the menu, reasoning that there were frogs in the pond, which was surrounded by a meadow, and while it isn’t exactly a farm (not yet anyway!), two out of three ain’t bad. Scott loved it, and the name stuck.

Your Hosts, Scott & Dave

Scott and Dave met in May 1991 while Scott was at Mount Snow training for a triathlon and Dave was directing the Mountain Bike School there.

Scantily clothed and cold, Scott walked in after a grueling 25-mile bike ride over the mountain from Brattleboro and asked: “Hey Dave! (Dave was wearing a nametag.) Where can a guy get a cup of coffee around here?” The rest, as they say, is history. 25(!) years later, after many changes, trials and tribulations, Scott and Dave are happier than ever. Living the good life at Frog Meadow sure doesn’t hurt. Come and see what it’s all about!

By the way, Scott never got his coffee.

Please Join Us!

What do two guys with a big house on 63 acres do with themselves? Open a Bed and Breakfast and Massage Oasis for Men, of course!

When Scott and Dave went to the Puna coast off the Big Island of Hawaii in December 2005, they rented a house from a wonderful massage therapist and Body Electric sacred intimate named Dwight. The area was very rural, progressive and gay friendly, kind of like a tropical Vermont by the sea. Days spent on the black sand naked beach, swimming with the dolphins, followed by a 90-minute massage in a seaside Indonesian hut, restored and replenished the soul. The experience was so powerful that Dave decided then and there the next chapter of his life would be to go to massage school and focus on working exclusively with men.

Please Join Us! We provide a welcoming and restorative space for men to relax and leave the outside world behind. Dave’s intention with his massage is to heal, soothe, and restore balance in the body, mind and spirit. So much of today’s mass media society is about exploitative sex, violence, wealth and physical perfection. All this serves to stifle the ability to be comfortable in one’s own body and the opportunity to embrace your imperfections and those of others. Frog Meadow is a place to leave that all behind and celebrate the Brotherhood of Men.