Let me introduce myself. I’m Ellen Rocco, the owner-manager, recently retired from 40 years in public radio and from farming sheep and draft horses. Chickens still provide fresh eggs, and there’s a large vegetable garden. I have 2 1/2 dogs (two rescues of mixed breed and a pug) and two rescued cats living in the house.
Opening my farm as a boardinghouse puts me on the arc of history. I think of those 19th century English novels or turn-of-the-century American stories about widows converting their homes into guest residences. Okay, maybe I’m not quite Mrs. Hudson, Sherlock Holmes’ landlady, but she is a role model for this undertaking: clever, engaged, not too snoopy, and nurturing.
After decades of having friends, relatives and strangers spend time here—some just visiting, others interning on the farm, and some renting rooms, I have decided to make the Boardinghouse official. This means I will do my best to make sure you are comfortable, well-fed, and feel completely at home in your room and in the shared indoor and outdoor spaces.
I wrote those paragraphs at the beginning of 2020, just before the global challenge we call covid19. I did not rent rooms in the following months, but now I am ready to open up the boardinghouse to guests. Please call me at 315-347-3456 if you are considering a stay here. We can all be careful and follow accepted guidelines for protecting ourselves and others from exposure to the virus. This is about the best place to work and live in these challenging times.
