This Tennessee Farm Lets You Brush Fluffy Highland Cows Right Up Close
Ever brushed a cow that looks like it belongs in a shampoo commercial?
Tennessee has a farm where shaggy Highland cattle come close enough for grooming, snacks, and plenty of ridiculous photos.
The experience feels much more personal than watching animals from behind a fence.
Some cows lean into the attention. Others seem far more interested in treats. That unpredictability keeps the visit fun.
Younger guests get a hands-on animal encounter, while adults get an excuse to slow down for a while.
Wear sturdy shoes and expect a little dirt. Clean clothes are far less important than leaving with a good story.
Meeting The Shaggy Herd
Long Highland forelocks can fall across the eyes, giving the breed its instantly recognizable shaggy look.
At Cedar Pond Farms, the hands-on encounter brings guests close enough to feed and brush the herd.
Highland cattle originated in Scotland and are among the world’s oldest registered cattle breeds.
Their thick double coats create the famous fluff, while the long horns still deserve respectful space during close contact.
Brushing is one of the core hands-on activities in the guided cow encounters. The farm describes its herd as hand-raised and halter-friendly, which helps make that close contact possible.
Hand-feeding comes with its own comedy. During guided encounters, a cow may use its long tongue to take feed directly from a guest’s hand.
The herd welcomes a few calves each year, so young animals may be present depending on the timing of a visit. Children are welcome, but the farm asks adults to supervise them closely around the animals.
Cedar Pond Farms’ farm-experience entrance sits at 1600 Fluffy Cow Way in New Market.
Donkeys, Chickens, And Ducks
Three Jerusalem mini donkeys join the cow encounters. Jack-Jack shares the farm with Daisy and Poppy.
These miniature donkeys stand about three feet tall and are accustomed to meeting guests. Visitors can pet them during the same experience before moving on to the farm’s other animals.
The farm describes all three as eager for snacks and attention. Their playful presence gives the visit a different kind of animal interaction from meeting the much larger cattle.
The feathered residents deserve credit too. Chickens and ducks can be pet and fed during the separate Feathers & Friends experience, while Premium cow encounters include a stop at the Chickbarn.
Feathers & Friends also includes exploring nesting boxes and gathering freshly laid eggs. Overnight guests can collect chicken and duck eggs from the barn during their farm stay.
The bird experience lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and is designed as a gentle introduction to farm chores. That shorter format makes it easy to pair with a longer cow encounter.
Tennessee has plenty of pretty pastures, but few let you meet this many residents personally.
From Dairy Barn To Fluffy Retreat
Long before anyone came here to brush a cow, this land worked hard. During the 1950s, the property operated as a dairy farm and supplied pork and chicken to the local community.
That agricultural past still shows in the bones of the place. Old barns, fence lines, and outbuildings carry a lived-in honesty you cannot fake with new construction.
The story shifted in the spring of 2004. Priscilla and Shawn Wilmoth moved in with their three young sons and made the 30 acres their family home.
Their plan grew slowly and thoughtfully. Over time, the family cultivated daylilies and sunflowers, raised chickens, and added Scottish Highland cattle to the farm.
Working agriculture remains part of the property alongside its guest experiences. The family continues to live in the private farmhouse at the heart of the farm.
You can sense the layers of history while standing in a pasture with a brush in your hand. Old working land, new welcoming purpose, same Tennessee soil.
Cedar Pond Farms South shows how a homestead can change jobs without losing its character. That balance of past and present gives the whole visit a warmer, more grounded feeling.
Foothills Views And Quiet Water
Scenery here does a lot of the emotional heavy lifting. The approximately 30-acre property sits in the rolling foothills of the Smokies, with pastures and mountain sightlines across the farm.
A two-acre pond sits at the center of the farm. Docks, pastures, gardens, and several farm buildings surround the water.
Pergolas and weathered barns are scattered around the grounds. Each one gives photographers a different frame without anyone having to arrange a thing.
There is also a small chapel on the property that adds to the storybook look. The chapel joins barns, pergolas, docks, and arbors among the property’s many photo backdrops.
Morning light might be the best version of this place. Soft gold spreads across the pastures while the cows graze in slow motion.
The farm offers both guided and self-guided experiences for visitors who prefer different levels of structure. The self-guided option leaves guests in control of their own pace along the pasture paths.
Tennessee packs in plenty of mountain overlooks, but this quiet farmland view feels more personal.
Choosing Your Cow Encounter
Three options exist, and picking the right one makes a real difference. Each covers the cows, but the depth and pace change.
The Mini Self-Guided Fluffy Cow Experience runs about an hour. You wander the pasture paths at your own speed, which suits photographers and first-timers who prefer quiet exploring.
The self-guided visit remains a scheduled one-hour experience rather than open-ended access to the farm. Guests can focus on the herd without following a guide-led itinerary.
The Standard Guided Encounter lasts ninety minutes and draws the biggest crowd. A guide leads feeding and brushing while sharing breed history and stories about the herd.
Complimentary gelato and coffee close out that tour. It is a small touch that somehow makes the whole morning feel complete.
The Premium Guided Experience stretches to two full hours. Along with everything in the standard visit, you get a behind-the-scenes look at the farm fields and the chicken barn.
Groups of all kinds book these, including families, birthday surprises, and celebration parties. Cedar Pond Farms South handles each tier with the same easygoing attention.
Gelato, Coffee, And Sweet Endings
A sweet finish is built into the farm’s guided cow encounters. The Gelato Brothers shop sits right on the property, and the treats come made with local ingredients.
After brushing cows for an hour, a cold scoop hits differently. The dessert stop comes after the hands-on portion of the cow encounter has wrapped up.
Coffee is offered alongside the gelato finish. Both are included with the Standard and Premium guided cow encounters.
Gelato Brothers serves Italian-style artisan gelato made with local ingredients. The same on-farm operation also serves cold lattes and other coffee drinks.
The shop gives everyone a natural place to sit and talk about what they just did. That pause creates a clear break between the pasture portion of the visit and whatever comes next.
A gift shop nearby lets you take home a small reminder of the day. Browsing there is a low-pressure way to wind down.
The property also includes a working tractor barn, a reminder that real agriculture continues behind the fun. That mix of authenticity and indulgence is exactly why this Tennessee stop lingers in memory.
Sleeping Beside The Pasture
Day visits are wonderful, but staying overnight changes the whole story. The farm offers European-style barndominiums and larger farm stay houses on the property.
Waking up to Highland cows grazing outside the window is a strange kind of luxury. Coffee tastes better with that view, I promise.
Sizes vary quite a bit. Cozy setups fit two to four guests, while three-bedroom barndominiums can sleep up to fourteen for reunions or group getaways.
Interiors pair European-inspired design with smart-home features, full kitchens, and modern amenities. The lodging keeps those contemporary comforts within the setting of a working Highland-cattle farm.
Overnight guests can take part in farm activities beyond simply sleeping on the property. They can visit the chicken barn to collect fresh chicken and duck eggs.
Fishing in the two-acre catfish pond is also included. No fishing license is required, and rods and tackle can be rented on site.
Evenings get genuinely quiet out here, with open sky and very little traffic noise. Booking a stay at Cedar Pond Farms South turns a quick stop into a slow, restful weekend in rural Tennessee.
Planning Your Visit Smartly
A little planning makes this trip run smoothly.
Cedar Pond Farms operates as a private farm and event venue rather than a drop-in attraction. Every farm experience must be booked online in advance.
Closed-toe shoes matter more than fashion here. Pastures get muddy, and hooves do not check where they land.
Warmer months bring an extra layer of color. From late May through October, the U-Pick sunflower experience runs seasonally, with zinnias and cosmos available when those flowers are in bloom.
Creative workshops run as well, including Highland cow painting sessions with an instructor. Pick-and-press jewelry classes let you turn garden flowers into handcrafted earrings.
Bigger occasions fit here too. Weddings, corporate retreats, birthdays, and reunions can use the Grand White Barn for groups up to 250, while the Milkbarn handles smaller gatherings of up to 75.
The farm sits in New Market, roughly 25 miles from downtown Knoxville and about 28 miles from Sevierville. Cedar Pond Farms South rewards visitors who arrive unhurried, curious, and ready to get a little fur on their clothes before heading home happy.
