Frequently Asked Questions & Farm Policies
Apple Hill Farm does provide food for the cows and goats at no extra charge as part of your tour experience. We do not allow outside food or treats for the animals at Apple Hill Farm.
All of our animals are in their fields and are not forced to interact with the tours. The goats, donkeys, cows, and barn dogs are generally very friendly and interested in getting love and attention from our visitors.
The alpacas, llamas, and horses are more independent and are typically not interested in being touched by guests, but usually come by to say ‘hello’.
You cannot pet the pigs, chickens, or livestock guardian dogs.
No, Apple Hill Farm is not pet friendly. We ask that you leave your pets at home before you visit our farm. Dogs left in cars may overheat in the summer temperatures, and can be disturbing for other guests.
Apple Hill Farm is home to working guardian dogs as well as our pet dogs, all of whom are not welcoming to outside pets. If you do have a dog in your car, please let us know when you arrive so we can park your car away from the barn. Your pet MUST stay in your car AT ALL TIMES. You cannot remove your pet for any reason.
Task trained service dogs will be accommodated at Apple Hill Farm to the best of our ability. Emotional Support Animals and Therapy Animals are not welcome at Apple Hill Farm.
As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a “service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”
The ADA limits the definition of Service Animals to dogs and miniature horses. Therapy dogs, emotional support dogs and companion dogs are not Service Animals and are not afforded the same privileges in public places.
Your service dog must be on leash, under control, and may not be disruptive or display aggression. Service dogs who display aggression to people or animals at Apple Hill Farm, disrupt normal operations, or bark/whine/growl (outside of a medical alert) will not be allowed at Apple Hill Farm, per ADA guidelines.
No, Apple Hill Farm does not allow picnicking on site and we do not have food available for sale. For the safety and healthy of guests and animals we do not allow eating or snacking on site. We ask that all food be left in your car.
Valle Crucis and Banner Elk both have public parks for your picnicking needs, and are a 10 minute drive from Apple Hill Farm.
No. All fields, pens, stalls, and other animal enclosures are off-limits to guests and visitors to Apple Hill Farm.
Apple Hill Farm is a real, working farm.
Our tour pathways are hilly and a mixture of gravel and dirt. They are uneven in spots, and may be muddy or wet from rain and snow.
The majority of the tour is relatively flat, and most people do not have trouble brining strollers, wagons, wheelchairs, or walkers on the first sections of the tour. You will be able to see almost all of the animals during this portion of the tour.
The last 15 minutes of the tour ( to see additional goats, the horses, and mini Zebu cows) is up a steep hill that is hard to navigate with mobility aids such as walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters.
You and your family are welcome to do as much or as little of the tour as possible!
Our Farm Store is upstairs in the barn, but it is accessible by wheelchair from the back entrance of the barn. Please let us know if you need to drive around to the back of the barn to avoid the stairs.
Apple Hill Farm does not offer refunds for cancellations made by visitors less than 24 hours before an activity.
“No show” tickets or activities will be subject to the full activity price. If one or more members of your party fail to show up at tour time without advanced notice via phone call or email, you will not receive a refund.
All tours can be canceled for any reason at the discretion of Apple Hill Farm. Refund policies may change without notice at the discretion of Apple Hill Farm.
A rescheduling fee may apply for tickets rescheduled less than 6 hours before the scheduled start time.
You will receive notification of weather cancellations by email. These emails will be sent to the email used to reserve your tickets. We suggest you check your email before coming to the farm if you are unsure a bout weather conditions.
If your activity is cancelled by Apple Hill Farm for weather related reasons, you will receive a full refund.
Tours leave at the designated time RAIN OR SHINE. We do not delay or cancel tours for rain.
We do cancel tours in the event of lightening within a 10 mile radius of the farm. We cannot resume tours until there has been no lightening within a 10 mile radius of the farm for 30 minutes. We cannot delay tours for storms, but we will reschedule your tickets if possible.
We may cancel tours due to snow or ice during the winter season. In the event of snow or ice, please call or check your email before heading out to the farm. Our drive way is 7/10 of a mile and is hilly. We are often accessible by 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive only after winter weather and may need to close for several days. Cancellations due to winter weather will receive a full refund.
We may also cancel for extreme cold. If we are under advisories for cold temperatures or windchills, we will not offer tours.
All tours can be canceled for any reason at the discretion of Apple Hill Farm.
Face Masks:
We are not requiring face masks at this time. We respect your choice to wear or not wear a face masks and are happy to make reasonable accommodations for all visitors!
If you would like to have a tour where everyone is fully masked, we do offer private tours for just your family!
Tours:
All tours are by advanced ticket purchase only. Due to our limited capacity, we cannot accommodate drive-up tours. Please arrive 10 minutes before your tour. If you arrive more than 15 minutes early, you will be asked to wait in your car until 15 minutes before your tour. You cannot walk around the farm on your own.
Group Size:
At this time, we cannot accommodate groups larger than 10 people at one time. If you have more than 10 people in your party (including children and infants), you will need to divide your party into two or more groups to come for a tour.
