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During the first week of August Randy Fought, CEO and Founder of BBOnline.com, enjoyed a "family vacation" with his wife (Patty), daughter (Katie) and parents (Bill and Karen Fought) at a B&B in Ohio near where his parents and sister's family live. After spending a few nights at my parent's house in Shreve, Ohio all five of us packed up and drove down to Holmes County, Ohio for a two-night stay at The Barn Inn just outside Berlin, Ohio. Patty, Katie and I stayed in one their VIP suites which had a very nice sleeper sofa in addition to the queen size bed. There was plenty of room for the three of us. In fact, my mom watched a movie with us in the suite one evening (while dad was taking a nap). |
 Randy, Patty, Katie, Karen and Bill Fought at The Barn Inn |
The accommodations were great but the breakfasts were even better! Both mornings the food was delicious and plentiful. The dining room seats up to 25 people (they have 11 rooms). Before breakfast one of the innkeepers, Paul or Loretta, asked us to introduce ourselves and to tell where we were from. Of course, there were several "couples" there but there were also others on a "family getaway". There was a couple and their teenage daughter from Louisiana staying with their parents from Ohio, there was a couple from Ohio staying with their two grandsons and there was a young couple from Chicago with their infant son. Breakfast was served "family style".
After breakfast Loretta offered advice on places to go. Holmes County is home to the largest Amish settlment in the world. The small town of Berlin is one of several small communities where you can see the Amish living and working. Short drives through the countryside will take you through farmland that is almost all owned by Amish families. Loretta told us about farm tours, cheese factories, animal auctions, craft stores and great places to dine for either lunch or dinner. On the second morning the couple with the 2 grandsons reported that they had visited all but one of the places that Loretta had recommended the day before! We were not quite so energetic. We drove through the backcountry trying to get lost. We did stop at a chocolate factory, an all-year Christmas decoration store, and a very unique mall that housed a cheese factory, Amish deli, ice cream shop, bookstore and bulk food store. Of course, I had the Trail bologna and baby Swiss cheese sandwich. We topped off our sandwiches with a visit to the ice cream store.
The ladies then wanted to go back to the Inn to relax. Personally I needed some exercise to work off breakfast and lunch so dad and I headed out for a quick nine at nearby Black Diamond Golf Course.
| That evening the five of us met my sister's family (her husband, their two sons and the son's fiance and girlfriend) for dinner at The Inn at Honey Run which is located about 200 yards down the road from The Barn Inn. After dinner we brought them all back to The Barn Inn for a quick tour and my daughter showed her cousin's fiance and girlfriend an old family movie of the guys when they were younger. |
 Dinner at The Inn at Honey Run |
