The Comus Sky Farm 50-acre property features two year-round guest suites and mature forested walking trails for guests and their dogs. There are even overnight barn accomodations for guests’ horses as well.
for guests it’ s a genuine experience. Families especially love it. Kids who have laptops at age two suddenly slow down and connect with something real.
PLENTY: I understand that prior to your husband’ s passing he offered you specific advice about the property and its future.
JUANITA: Ron ran three government contracting companies and had said— more or less— that I would only have three years before I’ d have to sell the farm and move on. That was eight years ago. I think maybe that’ s part of why I’ m still here!
I’ m up at 4 a. m. and in bed by 8. It’ s a constant juggle managing two booking platforms, the dog park schedule, the farm market, the animals, the garden, the trails. Randy handles the grounds and machinery. I handle everything else. Every day is different. Something always happens. I find it inspiring, even when I catch myself watching guests enjoy the hot tub at sunset and thinking: one day
I’ ll actually sit in one of those chairs myself.
PLENTY: Can you talk about the private dog park you have created on the property?
JUANITA: The entire property— all 50 acres— is available for hiking and private dog park bookings through Sniff Spot. Guests and their dogs get the run of the place: trails, fields, everything. I do stipulate that dogs must have 100 % recall off-lead, because we cannot be responsible if a dog spots a deer and runs toward the main road. People submit photos to the Sniff Spot site of their dogs running free here. As my friend Chet Anderson, the retired vet, used to say when he came out for farm visits:“ This is doggy heaven.”
PLENTY: There are a growing number of guest stays in the Ag Reserve through platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. What was your impetus for deciding to get into that business?
JUANITA: I started the Airbnb suites after December 2022. There was a three-day freeze then and the house pipes burst when the power came back on because I hadn’ t put the taps on drip. I was here alone, cooking spinach and cheese quesadillas over a makeshift grate across an open fire, all four fireplaces going, no cell service, no electricity to operate the gates. It was actually almost enjoyable...!
When the insurance company processed my claim, they told me the only reason they were paying was because I’ d made the effort to keep the fireplaces going. With those proceeds, I converted the lower level of the house into two high-end Airbnb suites: Suite Simon and Suite Morgan. That was the do-or-die moment— gut the lower level and build something new, or throw up my hands and sell. I went with the former. I list on both Airbnb and VRBO now.
PLENTY: The hospitality demands these days are considerable, meeting guest expectations, watching reviews come in. What’ s it been like for you?
JUANITA: The guests themselves
38 plenty I summer growing 2026