The Inn at OxBow Acres: A Sustainable Harvest
The Inn at OxBow Acres in Milan could be considered an accidental bed and breakfast. What’s not surprising, particularly after meeting the owners, is the Inn’s commitment to sustainability and its long-term vision for land stewardship.
When Maria and Brian Chamberlain bought the 16-acre farmstead on Route 16 in 2020 they planned to live peacefully while working the land and enjoying the sweeping views of the Androscoggin Valley and Mahoosuc Range.
“We didn’t buy this place intending to open a B&B. But once we saw all of the work we needed to do, we realized we’d need to pay for it,” Maria says, only half in jest. She adds that as the parents of seven kids they had a fair bit of experience cooking and cleaning for a demanding crew.
Photo by Andrew Schuyler
Aside from the personal connections to the land that the couple would ultimately foster, an immediate attraction to the property was the ability to integrate sustainable practices. For instance, the farm had an operational solar array with 108 panels.
The property’s transformation to a well-appointed, six-room guesthouse is truly inspiring. What's more, it still functions as a working farm, complete with horses, donkeys, and chickens. It produces a bounty of carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and herbs, and also hosts a fallow apple orchard that Maria hopes to reconstitute. Notably, the Chamberlains recently secured a grant from the Natural Resource Conservation Service to assist with pasture rejuvenation.
“The clientele we get tends to be people who are outdoor focused. They like hiking, care about the environment, and want a nice place to stay,” Maria says. In fact, hiking, biking, canoeing, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling, are all accessible directly from the property.
Photo by Andrew Schuyler
While the Inn does not currently allow dogs due to allergy concerns, horses are welcome as it has ample stalls, feed, trails, and pasture. For the uninitiated in equine parlance (as this writer certainly was), equi-trekking is the term for folks who travel with their horses. And for those not arriving with horse trailers, but rather in an EV, the Inn has a full assortment of chargers.
In the end, it’s fortuitous that the Inn at OxBow Acres has evolved into a home away from home that’s showcasing its sustainable attributes, all the while attending to its guests’ needs.
Maria’s green thumb was instrumental in orchestrating a different kind of array: an impressive flock of dahlias and other flowers. These not only serve pollinators, but also provide a truly local floral option for brides and grooms to use for their on-site wedding parties.
Around 6pm each evening, Maria takes personal breakfast orders from guests for the following morning. This eliminates the need to prepare multiple entrees and sides that might otherwise go uneaten. And while the menu evolves with the seasons, one staple is fresh eggs from the chickens that produce upwards of 30 golden yolks a day.
Composting presents multiple benefits for the Inn as it not only regenerates the land, but reduces emissions and saves money. “We compost all of our eggshells, coffee grounds, and whatever else we can. Any food leftovers go to the chickens. We basically don’t throw any food away,” Maria says.
The Inn at OxBow Acres uses only Sitronu products for soaps and shampoos, which feature plant-based ingredients that are chemical and cruelty free and come in eco-friendly packaging. Likewise, the Inn has found success with biobased Norwex cleaning and washing products. Maria, in fact, consults for Norwex, largely because of the company’s strong environmental profile.
About the Author
Andrew Schuyler splits his time between Conway, NH and Melrose, MA. He serves on the Board of the White Mountains Interpretive Association and has a background in journalism, clean tech, government affairs, and parenting. He enjoys swimming and reading at Davis Park in Conway, where he occasionally provides unsolicited advice to visitors who are behaving, ahem, poorly. Reach him at andrewschuyler@hotmail.com.
