Ariane Ice, co-owner of The Farm at Wolf Pine Hollow. (Courtesy of The Farm at Wolf Pine Hollow)
When a farmhouse was built in 1800 on a large plot of farmland in Hancock, it’s safe to assume its owner did not envision agritourism, selling wine and growing tulips. But for Ariane and Tom Ice, attorneys who started their farm several years ago, that’s exactly their vision.
The couple bought the farm, which now sits on 100 acres, after becoming empty nesters, and turned to Tom’s parents, who owned an organic farm in New Mexico, for mentorship. They dubbed their venture The Farm at Wolf Pine Hollow, inspired by the pines trees on the property that they say are like wolves sitting on the plain.
The couple describe the experience they provide as “FarmLuxe,” where “pastoral farm life meets modern luxury.” Visitors can head to the barnyard to see goats, sheep and chickens; the flower fields where the Ices offer cut-your-own pop-up events; and the farm store, which sells fresh eggs, maple syrup, flowers, fruit, vegetables, herbs, jellies, oils and more. They cater to casual visitors as well as group events and farm stays.
This year, they grew 16,000 tulips over the winter in a fieldstone cellar and 200,000 tulips—along with lavender, sunflowers, cosmos, zinnia, gladiolus, marigolds and more—in the fields. “We started with 40,000 tulips, and this year, we added about 160,000 new bulbs to those,” Ariane says. “Tulips are wonderful flowers. They’re beautiful, and there are a lot of varieties that make for wonderful visits for Mother’s Day.”
The tulips will be in bloom by late April or early May, Ariane says, adding that a tulip festival will be held May 6 and 7 that will include hayrides and tulip picking. They even have a “Tulip Bar” where visitors can make their own bouquets from a wide selection of tulips.
Due to a change to NH’s agriculture statutes in 2017 that clarified the breadth of agritourism activities farms can undertake, the Ices recently introduced a 20-seat wine and beer tasting room and offer farm-to-table meals, fresh-baked treats, and family-style BBQ and pizza nights, Ariane says.
The farm, which has six employees and up to eight paid college interns in the summer, will offer sunflower and gladiolus festivals later in the year as well as bobbing for apples and a pumpkin smashing zipline in the fall.
“There’s so much beauty here,” Ariane says. “When you see the flowers in bloom, and you see the animals dotting the hillside and the newly cleared field—you see the sun rise and you see people enjoying the land—that’s what excites us, and that’s what gets us up early.” For more information, visit wolfpinehollow.com.