Elaine was such a wonderful hostess. From not knowing too much about the Mennonites, Elaine answered our questions and helped us to understand the difference between Mennonites and Amish. She also had great recommendations regarding where to go for an authentic Amish buggy ride and other sites in Lancaster. She is very organized and knowledgable about the area.

And the farm was the perfect home away from home. Although not fancy, it was very comfortable, clean, and homey. The guestrooms are elegantly decorated. The atmosphere of the farm is the perfect place to walk around, watch the animals, and enjoy the tranquility. The breakfast was excellent!

At first we were hesitant to book a room, because we were concerned that it might be too "kid-geared". But, from the moment we walked in the door, we knew this was the perfect place for my husband and me. We highly recommend this B&B for couples or families of any age. We plan to stay at the Jonde Lane Farm the next time we're in Lancaster.

My family and I recently returned from our second trip to Jonde Lane Farm, was was actually our third attempted trip. Notice I said third attempted, because on one vacation they were completely booked. And there's good reason for that. Jonde Lane Farm is owened and run by John and Elaine Nissley, a Mennonite couple with several children, and a lot of grandkids, who you just may meet. During our recent trip there, we found out that they have been running a B&B at their home since their oldest child was three, and he's now grow and moved out on his own. Needless to say, you are made to feel you are one of their family when you are there. That is part of the reason many families, such as ours, return time and again. That and the animals, more on this later.

Jonde Lane is out in the country in Manheim, PA, about midway between Hershey and Lancaster. This makes it a perfect base for your travels to Hershey Park, Amish farms, and even Philly (2 hours away) or D.C. (2 1/2 hours). Even when you're not going anywhere, you can just enjoy "being there" and enjoying the moment. There is no TV, but plenty to do, from board games, reading, swinging on the porch swing, letting the kids enjoy playing in the huge yard, or enjoying the animals. This is a farm, remember? They have goats, cows, chickens, sheep, Peanut the mini horse and lots of farm cats. The kids can even help feed the animals in the morning and help collect the eggs, which are used in the next morning's breakfeast.

Elaine is a gracious hostess, who provides a bountiful breakfeast each morning. You won't start the day hungry unless you want to. As the Nissley's are Mennonite, each breakfeast begins with a scripture reading and a prayer by John, in which he gives thanks for the opportunity to share their home with their guests. It is at this time, and later at night when the sun goes down, you really get to know about them and your fellow guests. If you are looking for anonimity or to see celebrities, this is not the place. Here you have real people and can really make some lasting connections.

On the way home, after visiting many places, including Dutch Wonderland and Hershey Park, we asked our kids what they enjoyed most about their vacation. Without hesitation, both yelled out "The farm!". We'll be back.

We just returned from 5 days at the Jonde Lane Farm and it was fantastic! Just visiting the area was wonderful but to have such great accommodations on top of it made the trip the best we have had. We have 2 girls, 5 and 10 years old. Mr. and Mrs. Nissley are wonderful people and hosts. Each morning we had a huge, delicious breakfast. Although you sit down at a table with strangers, within minutes the Nissleys have the conversation going and you leave the table with new friends.

The location of the farm (in between Lancaster and Hershey) makes it perfect for seeing the area. You aren't more than 20-30 minutes from the major attractions. On our first day, Mrs. Nissley was more than happy to get out a local map and highlight the places we should visit. We followed her advice and had a great tour of the Amish lands as well as other local fare. There is not much to do at night so we would come back to the farm after an early dinner and let the children play until dark. We would play for awhile then sit on the porch swing and watch the kids go. They would run from animal to animal feeding handfulls of grass, taking a break now and then from the animals to swing or play kickball. It was great for the entire family. On the trip home we each listed our 3 favorite things that we did. After 6 days of activities, staying at the farm was on each person's list.

We have just returned from a long weekend stay at Jonde Lane Farms, and I am writing this review to encourage others to give this farm stay bed and breakfast a try. Elaine our hostess was very personable and helped to make our stay very enjoyable. Our room (Holstein Haven) was clean and comfortable. The other guests we met were friendly and welcoming and we enjoyed getting to know them. My son had a great time with the animals and helping with the chores. He especially enjoyed the friendly cats and the 10 baby kittens. There is no television but we didn't miss it (our room was air conditioned though for those who wonder). There are swings and board games for the kids to play with and a huge back yard for running and playing tag. The adults enjoyed relaxing on the back porch and patio, reading books, talking, watching the kids play, and sharing a delicious pie one family had bought at one of the Amish markets. Elaine's home cooked breakfasts were delicious too! The farm is located in a very scenic area with a covered bridge at one end of the road and a pretty creek and stone bridge where we stopped to take some pictures at the other. You are within 15-30 minutes driving distance from most major Lancaster area attractions and also not too far from Hershey either. On our stay we visited the town of Strasburg and the Strasburg railroad, the Choo Choo Barn toy train and minature village exhibit, the Amish farm and home museum, the Hands on House children's museum, and Dutch Wonderland amusement park in Lancaster, went shopping at several stores and markets, and took an Amish buggy ride. One day we ate at Jakey's Amish BBQ in a shopping strip called Village of Dutch Delights and I highly recommend it. They had homemade icecream milkshakes, funnel cakes and shoo fly pie too! Mmmm. We had a great trip! They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I have tried downloading several pictures onto this site. Please take a minute to check them out. Again, I highly recommend Jonde Lane Farm as a base for your Lancaster area vacation.