The cover photo of this article isn’t AI.
It’s real. And it might just represent one of the best couple of hours of my life.
Back in July, I was doing what we all do sometimes — aimlessly scrolling Instagram, half-distracted, looking for nothing in particular. Somewhere between a recipe reel and a vacation post, a video popped up titled “50 Best Dates, 50 States.”
In it, creator Matthew Wurnig shared what he called “hands down one of the coolest things I’ve ever done on a date.” The video showed a wide, sunlit field in Vermont and a blur of golden fur — dozens of golden retrievers sprinting and leaping with joy, their tails waving full of life.
I watched it three times.
Something about those dogs — free, happy, and perfectly golden against the green hills — made my heart swell. I immediately sent it to my husband, Tommi, with a three-word message:
“Let’s do this.”
An hour later, he replied:
“Done.”
He had already booked it. And that simple, thoughtful “yes” — no hesitation, no questions — is one of the countless reasons I adore him.
Fast forward to the first week of October. We had landed in Portland, spent a few peaceful days driving through Maine’s backroads as the leaves began their transformation, and were now heading west into Vermont for what I’d been looking forward to for months — the Golden Dog Happy Hour.
As we turned onto the drive, it felt like driving straight into a postcard. The trees arched overhead in a blaze of red, gold, and amber. The air was crisp, and the promise of a perfect fall day was real — something we don’t often experience in Pensacola, Florida.
Golden Dog Farm is a working farm. They produce small-batch maple syrup and honey, grow grapes that become wine through a partnership with Stella 14, and tend to 375 acres of rolling countryside where happiness runs on four legs and wags its tail.
They partner with Butternut Goldens, owned by Dana and Susan Menne, conscientious hobby breeders of AKC Golden Retrievers. What I love most about them is that their dogs aren’t kennel-raised; they’re family.
They live inside their home and are raised with patience, love, and intentionality. The Mennes only place their dogs within a three-hour radius of their home in Vermont so they can ensure each one is living a full, happy, and well-loved life.
Having a sister who owns a dog training company (East Hill Dog Walking Company), it took me all of thirty seconds to recognize Susan’s quiet brilliance as a trainer.
She never raised her voice, never rushed. Her tone was calm, her body language patient, and the dogs’ attention never wavered from her. It was clear that respect — not fear — guided their relationship. Dana was just the same, steady and kind, with a gentle way that dogs and people alike respond to.
Each afternoon around 2 p.m., Dana loads the goldens into the back of a pickup truck outfitted with a custom wooden guard to keep them safe but still allow guests a chance to greet them before their grand entrance.
And then comes the moment.
The tailgate drops, and like a golden sunrise in motion, nine retrievers burst out — a tumble of fur and joy, racing down the hill before stopping in perfect unison to glance back at us, as if to say, Well, are you coming?
They call it Happy Hour — and that’s exactly what it is.
Among the thirty guests with us that day was the Good Morning America crew and ABC News Foreign Correspondent Maggie Rulli, who was filming a story about the farm. In her Instagram caption, she called it, “The assignment of a lifetime — the greatest shoot of my life.”
She wasn’t exaggerating at all.
For two hours, we threw tennis balls and watched as the dogs dove into the pond, then sprinted toward us, shaking water everywhere without the slightest bit of apology.
We petted them, hugged them, and sat in the grass as they flopped beside us, tongues hanging and tails sweeping through the autumn leaves. At one point, I caught myself whispering to each one — I love you. I love you. I love you.
And I meant it every time.
And as if the day wasn’t already perfect, we were “inconvenienced” by a short delay while Good Morning America interviewed the owners. To make it up to us, they brought out ten puppies — eight weeks old, soft as butter, and full of mischief.
If the price of inconvenience is having a total of 19 Golden Retrievers that includes ten wiggly, cream-colored puppies at your feet, chewing your shoelaces, wrestling with each other — then please, by all means, inconvenience me FOREVER.
It’s amazing what a pack of golden retrievers in Vermont can teach you about joy, presence, and the simple art of being exactly where your feet and your heart are.
For two glorious hours, there were no emails, no deadlines, no noise from the outside world — just golden light from both the dogs and the afternoon sun.
Thank you, Tommi Lyter, for being the adventurous, spontaneous husband you are — and for booking me one of the most joyful experiences of my life.
Here’s a link to my reel on Local Pulse’s Instagram so you can see the joy: https://bit.ly/GoldenDogFarmExperience
And here is the Good Morning America video that aired — you might spot me making a cameo or two:https://bit.ly/GoodMorningAmericaGoldenDogFarm
Want to go?
Golden Dog Farm
Jeffersonville, Vermont
📍 www.goldendogfarm.com
Experience:
The Golden Dog Happy Hour is a one-of-a-kind event that invites guests to spend time playing, cuddling, and photographing a pack of friendly golden retrievers on a working maple and honey farm. Expect laughter, muddy paws, and memories that feel like sunshine.
Season:
Happy Hour sessions typically run from spring through late fall, with autumn offering Vermont’s most spectacular colors.
What to Bring:
Wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet, a camera (you’ll want it), and a heart ready to melt.
What to Buy at the Gift Shop:
I love the t-shirts we got!
