Bed and Breakfast Opens at Tilly Foster Farm

Eric Gross A ribbon is cut Saturday officially opening the new bed and breakfast at the Tilly Foster Farm. Participating in the ceremony are (l-r) Legislator Vincent Tamagna, Joe Ann Whipple, Legislator Mary Ellen Odell, Legislator Dini LoBue, Ann Fannizi, and Deputy County Executive John Tully. Interested in a romantic getaway for the weekend or even a week?

Tilly Foster Farm in Southeast has opened one of its buildings as a “selfcatering” bed and breakfast, allowing guests to experience the charm of farm life in a picturesque setting.

Last Saturday, George Whipple, who serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit Whipple Foundation—Society for the Preservation of Putnam County Greenways and Antiquities—which operates the farm, welcomed a dozen guests for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Whipple praised members of the Putnam Legislature for “saving this farm from extinction,” as well as Deputy County Executive John Tully for “keeping the project going and for being a long-time supporter of the farm.”

Whipple said his mother, Joe Ann Whipple, was the real hero: “Mom has spent the past three months restoring this marvelous cottage and decorating it by loaning us some of her furniture, including a baby grand piano and many pieces of artwork.”

Whipple said the cost to stay in the cottage will be $500 for the weekend and $1,000 for an entire week. “I want this property to become a guest house that every resident in our county will be proud of and will be given first priority. I also will be advertising the cottage in Manhattan since I am told homes of this type on farms are rented 365 days a year,” said Whipple.

Putnam Legislator Vincent Tamagna of Cold Spring called agri-tourism “extremely popular all over Europe. People want to return to their roots. Here at Tilly Foster they can, since guests will be able to rise early and aid farm hands in feeding livestock as well as taking horseback riding lessons and even bedding the animals down for the night.”

The cottage contains three bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, porch, fireplace, and two bathrooms.

Tully said the facility offers new meaning to the Putnam County motto, “Where the country begins.”