528 & 540 Nichols Hill Road

On an Eastern hillside, between two ridgelines of the Taconic Range, is Goodman Farm. It is reminiscent of an earlier time with two cottages and an antique red barn set at the edge of a spacious hay meadow just outside the village of Dorset. The 187 acres abuts Rupert State Forest with panoramic views, perennial gardens, stone walls and a small pond. Crossing the stone bridge over Goodman Brook and continuing along a carriage width trail to an upper meadow, there is an exceptional building site, which offers complete privacy and spectacular mountain views. The houses include a 2,026 s/f farmhouse built in 1850 with 4 bedrooms and a 2,160 s/f cape built in the 1980s with 4 bedrooms. May Goodman, a former owner and the namesake, was one of the founders of the Dorset Players in 1927. Over the last half century, the owners have lovingly managed the land and created an extensive trail network through the woodlands suitable for walking, riding, mountain biking, or snow shoeing. The large and majestic trees, mostly maple, are a result of a soil rich in lime. According to the forester, these Eastern facing slopes of the Taconic are some of the most productive timberland in the state. Wild elderberries, black walnuts and apple trees abound, and it is an important wildlife corridor. The property is in current use and has a conservation easement with the Vermont Land Trust. 12 miles from Bromley and 24 miles from Stratton. 4 h from New York and 3 h 18 m from Boston.