FAYETTE – Home-Nest Farm, a unique vacation destination, has been selected by National Geographic’s Traveler magazine to be included in its first preferred “Stay List.”

The magazine was looking for an “air of authenticity,” owner Arnold Sturtevant said Friday about the selection of his family farm for an exclusive list of only 150-lodgings that will be especially recommended.

Of all the many places from Canada to Mexico, the Caribbean and the United States, the 220-acre farm in rural Maine was selected as a special place for an unusual vacation, he added.

“It was a complete surprise. We didn’t seek any attention but a magazine editor called last summer and said our place had been nominated for consideration. She said we would hear by spring,” he said.

Now it’s spring, and Sturtevant received word this week.

“They were impressed with how well we have kept the history of the old homestead through nine generations,” he said. “We met the ‘air of authenticity’ that they were looking for.”

Sturtevant and his wife, Leda, opened the homestead as a bed and breakfast in 1987 and were founding members of the Maine Farm Bed and Breakfast Foundation, he said. But, that took a lot of time so they wanted to start something else. They opened three historic rental homes where guests fend for themselves, although “the larder” is stocked for guests to make their own breakfasts, he said. They can even go out and pick high-bush blueberries for their breakfast cereals, he added.

The east wing of the main house dates back to 1784, and that, as well as a Lilac Cottage dating back to 1800 and a Red Schoolhouse dating to 1830, have been prepared for guests. An additional Lakeview Annex was built in 2004 and can be used for the daily, weekly or monthly rentals, he said.

The couple’s four children have been involved with the operation. After his son, Peter, was killed last year, daughter-in-law, Tammy, has continued on as a host at the farm along with her in-laws.

Another son, Andrew and wife, Lisa, have a home on part of the old farm and help out. A daughter Sarah developed a complete Web site for the farm, and another daughter Laura Quinn of Kingfield has also helped, he said.

While enjoying the views that extend more than 60 miles to the White Mountains from the Baldwin Hill farm, guests can also enjoy local lakes, work in the gardens, help milk cows at a neighbor’s farm or play with the farm’s one llama, 22 sheep, two horses and one donkey, he said.

Open year round, the farm brings visitors from all over the world, he said. He figures they find them from the Web site as probably National Geographic did too, he added. Guest testimonials on the Web site tout the unique experience found there.

“They discover a side of Maine that few know of … what rural living was like in days gone by,” he said in a statement.

Central heating and bathrooms have been added although they did keep a “four-holer” outhouse just for looks, he said. Otherwise the rooms are essentially just as they were.

After his retirement from Livermore Falls Trust Co., the Sturtevants began visiting schools and museums dressed in costume from the Civil War period where they present the story of his great-grandparents, Josiah and Helen. He has written a book, Josiah Volunteered, about his grandparent, and it is used by schools and universities. Other books written by family members are on the Web site. The couple is working on their autobiography, he added.