Ferma de sub Penteleu (“The Farm under Penteleu”, or “The Farm”) is not a dream come true… it is much more. It is the very incarnation of a dream, a dream that became self-aware and developed a soul of its own. It’s a way of life and a paradigm changer in a world where technology, an escalating spiral of stress and a continuous and pointless rush for material welfare are taking a daily toll on our humanity. It all began in the summer of 2009, when we, the Dincă’s (Alexandru and Valerica), were looking for a quiet place of retreat, away from the everyday stress of the city and of our current business. HOW DO I ARRIVE HERE? We found a long-forgotten corner of heaven, in the Buzău mountains, not far from the city of Buzău where Alexandru has his roots. The former scattered village of Gura Milii, that only had 2 permanent inhabitants left at that time, nested along Bâsca Mare river at the feet of Mount Penteleu (not the highest, but for sure among the wildest mountains of the Carpathians), called us in the ancestral language of the unspoiled nature. We heard the call as if real, and settled there with a cozy and private holiday cottage. As our first child, Toma, came into the world, we added to the property and established a small goat farm and a vegetables garden, in order to secure the very best, natural and healthy food we could dream of for our son. Little did we know at the time that what started as a hobby and as a quest to provide the best for our loved ones will little by little take over our lives. In a good way, of course… Especially after our second child, Cezar, came along, the property expanded and the small goat farm grew. Before we knew it, we had over 50 goats, pigs, chicken, ducks, cows and we started sharing the farm products with our friends. And that’s how the Farm started, resurrecting the old way of life of the Romanian farmers, in close brotherhood with the Mother Nature, respecting her and working together with her. SEE OUR FOOD And from sharing with friends to sharing with everybody else who resonate with the same principles of simplicity, mindfulness and reconnection with the very roots of our humanity, it was one tiny step. The step of developing accommodation facility. And that we did. Following the traditional peasant’s style, blending in with the surroundings, taking the best out of nature, but also giving back at least equally, we slowly built 17 cozy accommodation units. They came along with a traditional restaurant, where all the guests can feast and cuddle their senses with typical Romanian food, cooked with natural ingredients, most of them produced by the Farm, and with a lot, but really a lot, of loving soul. In order for the traditional experience to be complete, we carefully and relentlessly gathered and restored old, traditional tools and equipment and set-up craftsmen’s workshops. We have pottery, blacksmith, weaving and traditional art workshops, together creating a “time-machine” carrying our guests over 150 years back in time. The rides in an old horse-driven carriage and accompanying our shepherds in taking the goats up on the mountain trails also add to the experience. Moreover, we diversified the experiences at the Farm by adding opportunities for the gown-ups to take some time away from their parenting obligations and take care of their own leisure. That’s how our spa came-up, of course in the same rustic style. A hot bath-tub (with salty water) and a dry sauna, strategically placed slightly above the pub, will offer you a magnificent view over the Farm and will caress your senses in the fresh summer nights, or in the cold winter days. Or in whatever season and at whatever time of the day you feel like being pampered. The Farm got to a level where the complexity of its simplicity became overwhelming. It was at that point, back in 2016, when our two friends, the Fleşariu’s (Cristina and Dan) joined the Farm as partners in an effort to ensure the very best and consistent hosting to our guests. And, by the way, we met them and became friends by chance in 2009, at Gura Milii, when we acquired the first plot of land. If that was not a sign, we don’t know what a sign is… OUR ACTIVITIES So now, dear guests, you have two pairs of hosts to take care of you during your retreat, together with a very picturesque, friendly and dedicated local team. We have Gheorghe and Stelică caring for the animals, Mirela in charge with our production (dairy and meat products), Monica, Irina and Amalia, ensuring the cleanliness, Lili, Flori, Tina, Maria and Rodica preparing our famous traditional food and Dana, Marinela, Georgiana & Simona bringing the food to your table. And let’s not forget Ionut, helping with the luggage and other works, Mihai and Rodica, showing you the traditional crafts of the region, and Dani , taking care that all the systems and installations are functioning properly. We all wish you a pleasant and unforgettable stay. If we managed to help you leave your daily concerns behind and have your “batteries” fully charged, ready to embrace life more positively on your departure, then our job was done… and we will be waiting for you to return as a friends.