We arrived early evening for our overnight stay on day #14 of our travel adventure at Harvest Host location O&M Crown Morgan Horse Farm. Our experience camping on this farm was near perfect. Isolated, with sufficient grooming of the property to make it comfortable, we were surrounded by beautiful morgan horses moving freely from pasture to barn. We shared the ample space with only one other RV, grandparents traveling with their grandson.

After a bit of challenge locating the farm, parking was easy, the ground firm and level with easy electric hook-up. After the long drive, Cleo and Nova tumbled out of the RV to race around the beautiful well-maintained grass parking area. Farm owner Kelly Krohn, an Osteoporosis Specialist, shared these details about the farm’s history in an email:

“The farm was started about 50 years ago when my father (the local pharmacist) purchased 30 acres from a local boarding school that was relocating to Bismarck.  He had a beautiful barn moved about 30 miles and gutted the first floor to put in 9 horse stalls and a tack room.  He raised Morgan horses and did some showing and lots of trail riding up until he turned 84.  My mother and father had retired and chose to move to Fargo, ND (200 miles to the east) and I knew they would need to sell the farm.  I stepped up and asked for first rights to buy it.  We came to an agreement and my father said I could not change the name (Odell and Marge) and Krohn means Crown in German.  He also informed me that I need to keep raising Morgan horses. I have loved owning the farm and have made many capital improvements with new fencing, a new round pen, a large steel storage building, a fancy outhouse, hookups for RVs, and a beautiful hay loft that can host weddings and reunions. I am a full-time physician in Phoenix, AZ, and come home to the farm 10-14 days per month.”

The title of this post is ripped off from Cormac McCarthy’s novel, “All the Pretty Horses.” The few times I’ve tried to read anything by McCarthy, I’ve found his work too dark and violent, even for me who has always had a taste for dark. This novel is considered his easiest read.