The Farmstead Reviews
Reviews
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Featured
Alex Sent on 10/22/2020Our amazing, COVID-safe wedding weekend!
We booked Friendly Crossways as our venue last year - we were so excited to have the beautiful grounds and entire farmhouse available to us and our guests for the entire weekend, and Mary Helan and Keith just gave us a great vibe - equal parts professional and personal!
We are even happier now with our choice. When COVID began, the team at FC outlined several options for us. We chose to move ahead with our original date and dramatically downsize our guest list. Even though the wedding was definitely different from the one we had started to plan before the virus, we still had an amazing and safe wedding weekend. The team at Friendly Crossways was communicative, helpful, and so kind as we wrestled with so many unknowns during the planning process. I can't imagine going through the stress of planning a wedding during COVID without Mary Helan's guidance and kindness. And we still had a magical wedding weekend with amazing food and the cozy, family-oriented vibe we wanted. -
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Abby Sent on 11/09/2025Breathtaking Wedding Venue!
We feel so lucky to have found The Farmstead for our wedding venue. Bill and his team are truly incredible people to work with. From the moment we began the planning process, Bill’s kindness, professionalism, calming presence, and quiet confidence shone so bright. He made every step of planning easy and fun. We felt prioritized, taken care of, and we always left each meeting with Bill’s reminder to “focus on our love, because that matters more than anything”. The venue itself is absolutely breathtaking, and feels so secluded, intimate, and romantic. Our guests raved about the venue: they loved having the ability to explore the grounds, play with the animals, and immerse themselves in complete serenity. Our wedding day was a total breeze: Bill and his team were flexible to our needs, and constantly checked in on my husband and I to make sure we were enjoying the day. We truly felt so cared for on our special day. To put the cherry on top, Bill’s culinary skills are fabulous, top tier, unbeatable. The menu he put together for us was absolutely delicious and farm fresh, truly I’ve never had better food at a wedding. To summarize, we more than recommend The Farmstead for your wedding. Bill and his team have created something truly special. -
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Gordon Sent on 09/25/2025The Farmstead is the Best in the Business
I just had to give a massive shout-out to Bill Ference and his incredible team at The Farmstead in Harvard, Massachusetts. Bill is an exceptional chef, and his long experience as a caterer really shows in the quality of the food.
The Farmstead itself is breathtaking—a beautiful farm-to-table venue with incredible views that add to the magic of any event.
I've been in the wedding business since 1976 and have literally performed at thousands of weddings across my career. I’ve played at the most prestigious wedding venues in New England, so when I tell you a team is exceptional, you can take that to the bank.
Recently, Bill and his team at The Farmstead ran an event – my youngest stepdaughter’s marriage – that was absolutely flawless, despite a very challenging and iffy weather situation. Things did not look like they were going to go well, but the entire staff worked together seamlessly to deliver a truly great event. It was absolutely perfect. If you’re looking for a venue where you know the team can handle anything and deliver perfection, you need to call The Farmstead. They are the best in the business.
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Ali S. Sent on 10/12/2021Perfect All In One Venue
We had our wedding here this past weekend (Oct 2021). We had 30 people and was everything we could have asked for. The micro wedding package fit our needs perfectly. The ceremony space is gorgeous, with so many beautiful spots for pictures. Dinner under the tent was delicious, Mary Helan the chef-owner made an incredible meal, much of it sourced from her garden and orchard. We loved Friendly Crossways especially for the retreat center which enabled us to host all of our guests who chose to spend the night with us, we moved to the fire pit after our reception and got to put off clean up until the morning. We got to be present with our guests and we had an absolutely perfect night. I can’t thank Mary Helan and her team enough. They were very responsive via email and answered all my questions, making suggestions and offering insight that helped us plan our day. I would recommend Friendly Crossways to anyone, planning big or small. -
Nai S. Sent on 11/25/2020
Beautiful venue
We were so happy and still thinking about our day at Friendly Crossways. We were very happy with everything. Your place was very beautiful. The weather couldn’t have been better. The big green area that kids could roam around freely was perfect. Food and servers were all very professional. We have recommended you to multiple friends already." -
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Rebecca Sent on 11/01/2020Beautiful, COVID safe venue
My brother got married at Friendly Crossways this year, and it was an absolutely wonderful venue. They had planned to have a larger wedding, but chose to scale down so they could still get married this year. Mary Helan and Keith, the business owners, were so warm and welcoming, and they kept everything running smoothly and safely. The wedding was small, only about 30 people or so, and it all felt very intimate and special. My brother and his wife got married in their wedding glade, on these beautiful rock steps surrounded by a very woodland vibe. There couldn't be dancing, but there were lots of fun lawn games that let everyone get involved and hang out together while still saying safe. The bride and groom also came up with a specialized trivia game for each of the tables to have an activity during the reception. The ceremony was lovely, we all had a wonderful time, and it was just a truly special occasion despite all the uncertainty with COVID and the last minute changes. -
Brittany Sent on 10/29/2020
Our October Wedding
We were so grateful to get this venue for our wedding. Our previous venue could not accommodate our wedding due to COVID. We had to change our plans but, in the end it all worked out. The grounds are gorgeous and it’s nice you are able to have the venue for the whole weekend. The guests that we could have there felt very safe while outside at our wedding. Our wedding day was beautiful and perfect- we were super pleased. -
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Adrienne Sent on 10/26/2020
Perfect Summer Wedding
My fiance and I planned to get married in Italy but had to cancel our plans due to COVID. We decided to keep our original wedding date and reached out to Friendly Crossways as a backup plan. It turned out to be the best decision ever! Our wedding was absolutely perfect. We don't even want to think of it as a plan b because it was everything we could have dreamed of. Mary Helen was amazing at helping us find a way to get married safely without sacrificing the experience. We were able to have a wonderful weekend with our immediate family filled with love, joy, and the most delicious food we've every tasted. Mary Helen, Keith, and the entire staff was amazing and made us feel so comfortable, safe, and right at home. They are so talented and welcoming - by the end of the weekend they felt like family. Mary Helen is so fun to work with, it is like talking with an old friend. She is also an amazing cook and was able to accommodate vegetarian, gluten free, and meat loving family members without compromising flavor or variety. We could not have asked for a better experience, especially given the circumstances. We absolutely recommend Friendly Crossways and can't say enough good things about them! -
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Kali Sent on 10/17/2020
Great experience
Our daughter had plans to get married this past July, during a visit to Italy, but had to change plans due to the pandemic. She chose Friendly Crossways and we could not have been happier with the experience. The staff was amazing; even with the strict social distancing and mask requirement, they went out of their way to accommodate every guest’s needs without compromising safety. From providing vegan meal options to making sure every room was cool during a heat spell, we felt well cared for. We also felt we got to know Mary Helan, Keith and the staff quite a bit since their friendly demeanor made it easy to chat with them. It felt like they were part of the family. But the piece de resistance was the food. Wow, from the first evening’s rehearsal dinner to the breakfasts and the big wedding meal, we were wowed by the creativity and flavor of the various dishes. With ingredients grown either on their farm or locally, it was a showcase of how farm-to-table is to be employed. Mary Helan even went our of her way when a guest asked for an eggplant dish she had never prepared before: she found a recipe that she then adapted to her ingredients and the results were outstanding. Overall we highly recommend Friendly Crossways, between the location, the staff and the cuisine, they made the experience unforgettable. -
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Adam Sent on 09/03/2019Intimate, homey, and extremely professional
Friendly crossways offered the perfect backdrop to celebrate our wedding weekend. The grounds are absolutley beautiful and the inn itself is the rustic and quaint building that dreams are made of. The ability to enjoy the grounds for such an extended time allowed us to fully enjoy our weekend without feeling rushed or scattered. We spent quality time with all of our friends and family and enjoyed a little extra time to just reflect and relax as we listened to the sounds of nature and the crackling of the fire.
Friendly crossways offered the perfect backdrop to celebrate our wedding weekend. When you find yourself on the grounds you are immediately surrounded by flowers, bushes, and trees of all varieties. The vegetable garden, rows of corn, and fire pit add a country feel that you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. The building itself is the quaint little inn that rustic dreams are made of. The space itself is impeccably clean and cozy. Not only that, but there is a feeling that you have arrived home when you first walk inside the door. It has such a wonderful vibe and all our guests immediately felt welcome and at ease. This was huge for us because we wanted our weekend to feel casual and inviting so people could truly unwind and reconnect with one another.
The staff at Friendly Crossways was also always handy if you needed anything at all. They were present without interrupting quality family time or feeling overbearing. It was the perfect balance of convenience and comfort for everyone.The ability to enjoy the grounds for such an extended time also allowed us to fully enjoy our weekend without feeling rushed or scattered. We spent quality time with all of our friends and family from Friday evening until Sunday morning. We used the extra time to reflect and relax by the fire as we listened to the sounds of nature and gazed at the stars in the sky. It really is a magical place in the stillness of the night. You feel extremely far removed from the city, despite the fact that it's only about 45 minutes to Boston.
Beyond all of that, our celebration could not have been more seamless. We did not actually have our ceremony that weekend. Instead, we entrusted FC with our reception, which included all our friends and extended family. Seamless really is the perfect word to describe the entire weekend. From getting the tent setup on Friday to handling the caterer, bar services, and general flow of people coming to and from the parking lot, FC did it all with ease. They are true professionals and you can tell that they have done this many, many times before. You will be in excellent hands with Mary Helen, Keith and the crew at FC. Whatever you need done, the team at FC will be able to deliver what you need and then some. Save yourself the headache and get out there to meet the team and see the beautiful grounds. You may even get the chance to try some of Mary Helen’s famous pie!!
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![Steph]()
Steph Sent on 08/17/2019Friendly, tasty, beautiful, joy-filled, magical. Fire circle!
Because all of our friends and family were traveling for our wedding, we wanted a welcoming, joy-filled space that would allow them to stay for the whole weekend. Friendly Crossways gave us this and so much more.
Our group landed on Friday and didn't leave until Sunday. So many of our favorite memories happened outside of "official wedding" times - s'mores by the campfire, ping pong in the "subterranean suite," board games until 3am, friends from different groups lounging on the front porch over breakfast. Friendly Crossways had the perfect amount of room, giving everyone plenty of room to explore while still feeling cozy. The rooms were all very comfortable and clean. The outdoor space was gorgeous and filled with flowers, and perfect for everything from photos to frisbees. Seriously, the photos turned out amazingly.
As for the wedding itself, Mary Helan and Keith are incredible planners. They were super supportive, and amazingly fast on email. Whenever we came to them with "unique" ideas, their first thoughts were always "well how can we make this happen here?" They are super familiar with the flow of events and spaces, and have great advice for how to make things fit. They independently checked in with all the vendors the week before the wedding and made sure everything was thought of along the way.
Our wedding felt like a big operation to us - a Tea Ceremony and pre-wedding dinner with 70 people; friends cooking breakfast for 45 people; an outdoor wedding with 95 people. Most of the beds were full for the whole weekend. But the staff at FC made it look like a breeze, and made it feel like a breeze to us. We cannot thank or recommend them enough. Big or small, busy or relaxed, formal or chill - this team can make anything happen.
Oh, and the food was incredible.
One of our out-of-town friends loved the wedding so much, he booked FC as a hostel for the whole rest of the week. Another one of our friends raved about his first "sleepaway camp" wedding, and proposed having one here every year. If those aren't recommendations, we don't know what are.
*Photos by BaileyQPhoto -
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![Sarah]()
Sarah Sent on 07/19/2019A very special wedding weekend
We had an amazing wedding weekend at Friendly Crossways. The setting is absolutely stunning. The forest, fields, and spacious grounds are beautiful. The inn is unique, charming, and elegant. We can’t stress enough how meaningful and special it was to have so much time and space to host our family and close friends at the inn. Our actual wedding was spectacular but we were most pleasantly surprised by the quieter moments of playing cards late in the evening, toasting marshmallows, and just talking and building new relationships across our families. You can get married just about anywhere but at Friendly Crossways you’re given the chance to live out your values of putting relationships first. Beyond just the format of having this wonderful space for the whole weekend, the service, attention, and care that Mary Helan, Keith, and their staff put into their weddings is professional and personal. They are authentic, helpful, laidback while still attentive, and creative. Mary Helan’s pies and the food from their catering company was the best food I’ve ever had from a wedding caterer and the process of deciding on everything was seamless. Their recommended tent and rental company is also amazing and easy to work with. We really have no complaints, big or small. We’d do it all over again the same way in a heartbeat. Thank you so much for making our wedding so memorable!
(Photos are by Lauren Page Wadsworth Photography) -
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Amber Sent on 10/22/2018Best.Day.Ever
We visited Friendly Crossways, on a cold rainy day, but knew it was perfect. The planning process was so laid back, which was great because my ambitious DIY endeavors, participation in two other weddings, and a year at a new job, took up a lot of my life. When planning the menu, Mary Helan gave input on food parings, and really worked with us to create an impressive spread that fit our budget. At the end of everything our day was PERFECT, I actually kept telling myself that something had to go wrong because everything was so flawless. But, nothing ever went wrong. Our amazing friends helped with setup and decorating day of, and it was so heartwarming to know all the work they put in behind the scenes to make our day so special. The fire pit at the end of the night wrapped everything up perfectly, we were able to cozy up with blankets and smore’s and laugh at all the crazy dancing we did.
Two of our friends, who were married a month before us, said, “We don’t want to say your wedding was the best wedding ever, because of our wedding, but your wedding was the best wedding ever.” It really was the best.wedding.ever. Thank you thank you, Mary Helan and Keith for giving us the greatest gift of memories we have ever received.
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Noah Sent on 10/02/2018Working with Friendly Crossways was great - they helped guide us through the process, and let us know what to expect. The accomodations are really nice, and well laid out - our family in from out of town were all able to stay together which really made a difference. The grounds are beautiful, and we loved being in the space - having a fire circle made the magic of the evening seem to last forever. We would definitely recommend Friendly Crossways!
We had about 35 people staying for the weekend, and then about 75 for the ceremony - but FC could have easily accomodated more. -
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![Leanne]()
Leanne Sent on 09/12/2017My husband and I were in search of a wedding venue that could bring our love for Vermont to our Massachusetts families. The setting, the personality/feel of the venue, AND the amazing food exceeded all of our hopes and expectations. Absolutely select Mary Helan as your caterer. Dinner was the best any of us have had at a wedding and the pies flew off the buffet! Our guests were blown away - they could not get over how beautiful the grounds were.
A fantastic venue for any DIY bride. A beautiful, rustic location with all the time and flexibility you can hope for.
As many brides and grooms know, when you are planning your wedding, EVERY minute counts. It makes such a big difference to have the whole weekend to prepare, setup, and breakdown your wedding while sharing more time with your family and friends. The luxury of not having to "clear out" the same evening as your event is worth more than gold.
Mary Helan, Keith, and their staff are an absolute pleasure to work with. Trust them - this is not their first rodeo! ;) -
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Vero Sent on 09/15/2014Mary and all her staff made our wedding weekend unforgettable! She went above and beyond; she even cooked a Venezuelan meal (first time ever and it was delicious!!!). The venue is definitely unique. Our family and frineds from out-of-state/country had a wonderful stayed at the hostel. This venue gives you a whole weekend event not just couple hours. We couldn't have picked a better place to have a dream wedding (rain or shine :-) Thank you! -
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Sarah Sent on 08/10/2011If you don't want to read the entire review, here's the bottom line: if you're looking for an intimate, country-style, outdoor wedding in Massachusetts, this is the place to have it. Period. I HIGHLY recommend Friendly Crossways!!
I cannot express just how *perfect* Friendly Crossways was for our wedding: from the beautiful grounds to the friendly and accommodating staff, everything was exactly how we wanted it. Mary Helan and her family and staff were more than friendly, flexible, helpful, and generally wonderful, and helped to make our dream a reality.
We had our rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception all on site over the full weekend, from Friday to Sunday. We had guests staying with us Friday and Saturday nights, and used the fire ring both nights as well. Mary Helan catered our rehearsal dinner, both breakfasts, and the reception meal. I ticked off 'wedding cake' in services provided, but we actually did pies instead of cake, which I HIGHLY recommend. Oh, they were delicious!!
It's an amazing deal: for what you'd pay for 5 hours at most venues, you get the whole weekend, plus up to 35 guests to stay over. If you're looking for a charming country wedding, and don't mind sharing bathrooms, it's really the best deal.
We fell in love with Friendly Crossways when we went to visit the venue in fall 2010, and knew immediately that we would be having our wedding there. The property has so many features and is so beautiful: there are beautiful gardens surrounding the house, a giant corn field flanking one side of the property, a fire ring with boulders around it for seats, a beautiful white arbor, fruit trees and a cozy front porch, and a giant boulder with stone steps climbing up it. We had the honor of being married on top of that rock, and it made for a beautiful and unique setting for our ceremony.
The inside of the venue is filled with cozy, eclectic country decor and furniture. Everyone who stayed over enjoyed the accommodations, despite the hostel-style. The decor and layout of Friendly Crossways make it feel more like a home, rather than an impersonal hotel: and that's exactly what we wanted.
Like other reviewers, we used Special Events of New England for our Tent, Table, Chairs, and Linen rentals, and they knew the property and set up the tent early (Thursday) so it was up when we arrived Friday. They were prompt Sunday in taking down the tent and retrieving all the rental equipment. I'd recommend using them if you're doing your reception outside: we hardly had to think about it because of their prior relationship with the owners and knowledge of the property.
We had no problems with anything at all: the charges on our bill were clearly explained before and after the event; the staff felt like family: they really went above and beyond. All of the food was delicious, nothing broke, nobody trashed anything, everyone was super friendly and accommodating... I have nothing but fond memories of the entire weekend!
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![Jodie]()
Jodie Sent on 11/24/2021Beautiful venue
Friendly Crossways was an amazing choice for our intimate, 20-guest, rustic-glam, DIY wedding. The outdoor locations were beautiful in person and stunning in photos, and we especially loved the deliciously fresh, farm-to-table New England food. -
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Laura Sent on 11/15/2021
Newlywed Here!
Two weeks before my wedding, my primary venue canceled on hosting my ceremony for unforeseen circumstances. I was having a melt down, two weeks to plan my wedding?! What venue would even consider helping me out two weeks before the wedding date?? Friendly Crossways did! As soon as I got in to contact with Mary Helen, it was like magic. She was straight forward, professional, and definitely a Godsend. My wedding was saved! And the day of my wedding at Friendly Crossways is a day I’ll never forget. It was absolutely beautiful and well put together for such a short amount of time, but it had every element of a perfect wedding. The beautiful outdoor surroundings and the sun shining through made it all feel like a movie. The seating arrangements were elegant and well put so everyone can comfortably sit and observe. There were lawn games for my guests as they waited (I was an hour late.. oops! This hair wasn’t going to do itself, haha!) and even Mary Helen was present.
All in all, Friendly Crossways is a wonderful venue for nature lovers and couples who love to live in the moment.
I invite any couples looking at this venue to take a look a more options that I did not, there are wonderful packages offered by Friendly Crossways that have more fun and practical measures added that not all venues have. They offer plenty of exciting ways to make amazing memories! -
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Sindhura Sent on 08/02/2021
Our fantastic South Indian wedding at Friendly Crossways
We had our Telugu wedding onsite and it was awesome. The groom had his Baraat on a tractor through the parking lot, the ceremony Mandap was on the lawn in the wedding glade surrounded by trees, the cocktail hour spanned various parts of the greenery (imagine lawn games, food, drinks, and everyone lounging in the sun), reception was under a tent adjacent to the ceremony, and it all ended with some late night lounging by the fire circle. While this might have been an unconventional space for a south Indian wedding, it ended up being perfect. Our guests had a lovely time, and we had a great experience planning (the venue owner Mary Helan was wonderful to work with + super adaptable/flexible to all our needs in service of making this a traditional event).
On top of all of that, 30 of our closest friends all stayed at the hostel on Friday and Saturday night. We had so much fun! -
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