4br Wonderful Farm Home for vacationing, reunions, biking, hunting, fishing
About this farm stay rental
Located next to Farmington, Iowa: 4 hours from Chicago, 2 1/2 from St. Louis, 1 1/4 hours from Iowa City and 6 hours from the Twin Cities. This old town Farm house and 16 acres of land is located next to the wonderful Shimek Forest and Des Moines River. The house offers a large living room, large dining room, sit in kitchen, 4 bedrooms upstairs with the ability to sleep 8 comfortably plus 2 sofa beds in the living room to sleep an additional 4 people. Forced air and heat, washer and dryer, TV, DVD and 16 acres to call your own with your stay. Free use of 6 adult bikes and 3 children bikes plus a 1/3 mile nature trail with chipped wood path through the woods a short distance from the home. New barbeque for outside cooking with picnic table. Fire ring and firewood for evening s'mores and enjoyment. Comes with all eating and kitchen utensils, linens, towels, and toiletries. Hot air popcorn popper and popcorn. Farmington, Iowa is one of the "Villages of Van Buren County" on the Des Moines River, a quaint town with grocery store, parks, local restaurants and bars. Available for week vacations, reunions, weekend retreats, Iowa and Iowa Wesleyan football weekends, hunting and fishing trips, horseback riding and more! If interested call Eric. Why would people want to rent: Spring and Fall Colors Sledding in winter Football games (only 1 1/2 hours from U of IA games, Iowa Wesleyan only 30 minutes away) Festivals (Farmington Strawberry, other communities other types) Hiking (Shimek Forest only 1/2 mile away) Biking (free use of bikes) 1/3 mile nature trail on premises (bird and wild life watching) Horseback riding (can rent a horse) Mushrooming Hunting (deer, turkeys, rabbits, pheasant) Fishing, Shimek Forest ponds, Des Moines and Mississippi Rivers and Lakes Relaxation Farm House: Restored New HVAC Forced Air and Heat 4 bedrooms 2 with twin beds 1 with Queen 1 with double bed 1 and 1/2 baths Large Kitchen Dining room Living room with two hide-a-bed sofas Laundry room New 3 gas burner Barbecue Picnic table Fire Ring with firewood Free use of bikes, 6 adult and 3 children size to choose from
Amenities
Pool
Air conditioner
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Parking
Laundry
TV
Map of Iowa
Farm Stay in Iowa
Reasons to book
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Includes essentialsPool, Kitchen / Kitchenette, Air conditioner and more
Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental
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Reviews
3.8/5.0
Good(47 Reviews)
5.0
Needed a place for a group of adults to stay during the Tri State Rodeo. The property manager was a wonderful person and was very quick to respond to any questions we had. She went above and beyond to make sure we had things to do if we wanted to hang around Farmington or make a drive to nauvoo. Overall, great stay and great hospitality! The horses in the front were wonderful to wake up to as well!
4.0
Went geode hunting. Residents of the area very friendly and helpful.
5.0
Amazing property with so much property to explore. Had an amazing experience and the kids loved the farm house. Also had a ghostly experience at 7am where we woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and sausage being made only to go downstairs and find the kitchen quiet and empty lol. Definitely want to come back again!
5.0
On entering the house, it was very clean and perfect for our family. We had our kids (ages 8,9,10,12,12,15) with us and a surprise visit from our 20 year old! The property was fun for the kids to explore. They loved the little pond with all the giant frogs in it. They enjoyed riding the bikes down the hills and exploring the property. There were horses right down the driveway so that was fun surprise. Nicole, the care taker, was an absolute pleasure to work with! She was very kind and even gave us some extra time to get all of us packed and out the door on Sunday morning... (trying to get everyone dressed, showered, packed, etc is difficult with 9). The ONLY downfall I would say, was the shower. It was really tiny and being 5'4, I was feeling a little claustrophobic. My fiance is 6'9 and it was very difficult for him to shower. I do think that the listing might want to include the steep hill up to the house as well. We didn't mind it because we had great helpers to get everything in the house but if I had to carry 3 large coolers full, I would have been miserable. We're all in fairly good shape so it wasn't a problem at all, but it is quite the little hike up and down. Other than that, it was such a pleasant stay! We saw LOTS of wildlife and really enjoyed the fire pit area at night! Thanks, for a nice little get away!
4.0
The caretakers were helpful and considerate. Communication was great.
It was ok for our group of 4, but if a larger group had used it, bathrooms would have been an issue. It is listed on Verbo as having 2 bathrooms, yet the 1 didn't have a shower of any kind and the other was very tight. Not complaining, just noting that it seemed to me as though it was misrepresented a bit.
The main thing I didn't like was how everything squeaked and creaked, from the beds to the house. This of course is normal for an old house.
Overall our stay was good and I would have booked it even if I had known everything since it was so close to where we wanted to be. I do however think that once the service, and cleaning fees were added it became a bit overpriced for what it is.
2.0
The property was clean and well stocked with towels, linen dishes etc. For a young family this would be fine. My wife and I (the renters) are older and she has some disabilities which make it very difficult to manage stairs or unequipped bathrooms. There are no grab bars in the bathrooms and only a shower in the upstairs room. The sofa beds advertised are simply large sofas where the cushions are removed to make the size of a small bed, they are not a pull-out type of sofa-bed. We were so uncomfortable that we rented a motel for our last night in the area. Our daughter and her family had a much easier time as they were able to sleep upstairs in the regular beds. So, for younger families this property would be fine, for the elderly or handicapped, it is not equipped.
5.0
Delightful
We enjoyed our stay...stepping into another world in this lovely midwestern farming town. The home was comfortable and helped us feel a part of the family history we had come to learn more about in Nauvoo, IL. Thank you for the bicycles that were available for us to use! The whole family loved our stay.
2.0
The owner booked back to back clients. Our check out time was 11 and the new clients came in at 12. This forced the cleaning lady (very nice woman) to have to start cleaning before we were checked out. Location is a Pet friendly place with a green pond that our dog jumped in but no outside water to clean her. YUCK!
The house had a flood so the washer was disconnected and we had hoped to do laundry on our cross country trip. The house smelled really old, like mildew or mold.
Owner let us know in reasonable time how to enter the house and that the house was a high target for break ins which was a bit scary.
5.0
Was the perfect place for our hunting, fishing and hiking trip. All the bedrooms are upstairs and it’s a bit warm up there when the outside temps get up there but there’s fans provided in every room. Also only shower is upstairs. We had no problems with it but just letting others know. House was clean and well kept up. Owners friendly and quick to respond and local caretaker the same. No internet access but we had great Verizon reception and had no need for anything more. If we come back to this area we’ll stay again. Lots of hunting, fishing and hiking in nearby state woods. Brewery in Fort Madison is worth the 30 minute drive.
2.0
Good communication but didn’t like the place
The owner booked back to back clients. Our check out time was 11 and the new clients came in at 12. This forced the cleaning lady (very nice woman) to have to start cleaning before we were checked out. Location is a Pet friendly place with a green pond that our dog jumped in but no outside water to clean her. YUCK!
The house had a flood so the washer was disconnected and we had hoped to do laundry on our cross country trip. The house smelled really old, like mildew or mold.
Owner let us know in reasonable time how to enter the house and that the house was a high target for break ins which was a bit scary.
5.0
Nice farmhouse
Was the perfect place for our hunting, fishing and hiking trip. All the bedrooms are upstairs and it’s a bit warm up there when the outside temps get up there but there’s fans provided in every room. Also only shower is upstairs. We had no problems with it but just letting others know. House was clean and well kept up. Owners friendly and quick to respond and local caretaker the same. No internet access but we had great Verizon reception and had no need for anything more. If we come back to this area we’ll stay again. Lots of hunting, fishing and hiking in nearby state woods. Brewery in Fort Madison is worth the 30 minute drive.
3.0
Has black mold on walls in basement moldy smell throughout wife and I have been feeling unwell
3.0
Stay at farm ok
Has black mold on walls in basement moldy smell throughout wife and I have been feeling unwell
5.0
Had a wonderful time! Very relaxing and convenient. Highly recommended.
5.0
Great Place for sibling reunion
Had a wonderful time! Very relaxing and convenient. Highly recommended.
5.0
Short but sweet
thank you
5.0
thank you
Short but sweet
thank you
5.0
We went in winter, so didn't get to explore the property, but we had a great time, and the house is adorable!
5.0
Cute little farmhouse
We went in winter, so didn't get to explore the property, but we had a great time, and the house is adorable!
5.0
very nice property. quiet.
5.0
Very nice reconditioned farm house. was perfect for us
very nice property. quiet.
4.0
Older farmhouse , perfect for staging area for hunting .
4.0
Hunting trip
Older farmhouse , perfect for staging area for hunting .
1.0
My family planned to stay within this home on our cross country moving trip from Arizona to Michigan. The house does not look like the pictures shown. The photos for the listing are several months to a year old. Paint is peeling, and the house looks very dilapidated. Once we were in the home, there was general uncleanliness to the home with the counters having trails of ants, and the walling having sticky substances present. The refrigerated looked like it was not cleaned recently, and there were areas of mystery goo present. The property manager came by that evening to put out the trash cans for the home and informed us that it was our task to wash all the sheets for the home and place them back on the bed before leaving. This fact, along with others about the area and the house, caused us to elect not to stay in this home but instead drive 8 hours through the night to reach our home in Michigan instead of spreading any more time in this home. Rent with severe caution.
1.0
Renter Beware
My family planned to stay within this home on our cross country moving trip from Arizona to Michigan. The house does not look like the pictures shown. The photos for the listing are several months to a year old. Paint is peeling, and the house looks very dilapidated. Once we were in the home, there was general uncleanliness to the home with the counters having trails of ants, and the walling having sticky substances present. The refrigerated looked like it was not cleaned recently, and there were areas of mystery goo present. The property manager came by that evening to put out the trash cans for the home and informed us that it was our task to wash all the sheets for the home and place them back on the bed before leaving. This fact, along with others about the area and the house, caused us to elect not to stay in this home but instead drive 8 hours through the night to reach our home in Michigan instead of spreading any more time in this home. Rent with severe caution.
1.0
Live roaches
This was an experience that I don't want to repeat. We found two live roaches in the house. Leftover food was found in the kitchen including moldy butter in the refrigerator. The furniture was old and dingy and the grass was overgrown and not cut. The exterior of the home needs painting. I would suggest a licensed exterminator for this farmhouse and some general upkeep of the property.
5.0
Great Property!
We had a wonderful time at the Fotsch Farm. Plenty of room for all 8 of us. We will be back!
4.0
Had a great time
Enjoyed the house cleanliness and all the room.
3.0
I loved the idea of a rustic farmhouse setting for our family to stay in! This home had just the right space for our family. We have 6 children ranging in age from 14 years to 2 years. I feel like there were a few safety issues for my younger children that we should have known about. The top of the stairway to the upstairs bedrooms was very open and unsafe. The top step juts into the narrow landing, with no safety rail. The entire time we were there, we worried that one of the children would miss that first step and fall down the wooden stairs, especially at night in the dark. The second issue was the water collection pool near the driveway. It was steep, looked very deep, and there was no fence or boundary around it. We could not allow our children to play outside with the soccer balls they brought, for fear that one of them would fall into the water hole. It could prove to be very tragic if someone were to fall into it. There were no working bicycles for us to use, as was advertised.
I was disappointed in the dishes and cookware that were provided in the kitchen. All the dishes were mis-matched, the pots and pans were odd sizes an there were no mixing bowls. Overall, not enough dishes for our family to use. The stove top drip pans & microwave had not been cleaned.There was also a VERY strong musty / mildew smell throughout the home that was very hard to ignore. There were holes in the sheets wet laundry in the washer. Overall, a little disappointed in our stay.
4.0
Definitely an older home but it worked fine
The property was clean and comfortable. The basement/cellar had really narrow stairs and lots of cobwebs but you don’t really need to go down there except to get the grill or the bikes.
When we got there the power was out in the neighborhood and it was getting dark. Fortunately we found some emergency candles and got some matches and the convenience store that was close by. It made it an adventure for the family!
Not a fan of the cleaning fees for each room. I don’t remember seeing that gotcha in the listing.
On the other hand, the owner/manager was helpful and fairly responsive.
We only used the house for sleeping and food prep. All of our activities were elsewhere. For that purpose it worked fine.
5.0
Perfect location for quiet.
Location was perfect for the quiet time away from the city for which we were looking. Eric and his team did a great job of making sure we felt welcome. Despite a few small hiccups, the team went out of their way to ensure our stay was great (particularly when we got snowed in during our last night).
3.0
Basic, easy get away for a group of friends where the most important is that you are together.
The house was an old farmhouse with the basics updated. Shower is very small. It was nice to have bicycles available. Love the area, but not too much to enjoy in Farmington. Enjoyed the charm of Bonaparte and Bentonsport. Nice to have river nearby with nice views.
2.0
Camping under a roof
This home is definitely old, the smell of mold & musty air was bad. Air conditioner upstairs was poor & was very uncomfortable at night. As others have said, you can't open the windows. It was like camping with a roof over your head. The refrigerator needs to be cleaned & sanitized & dispose all the things that have been left there. The bathroom had mold all over, we tried to clean it with bleach so we could shower, but it wasn't enough. The sink had mold, we deep cleaned that also. I have never had to deep clean somewhere before we even used the home. and then have to wash sheets and towels so we didn't have to pay a rediculously huge cleaning fee. The washing machine looked like it hasn't ever been cleaned properly. It was also deep cleaned before we left. There were ants in the kitchen and also in a couple of the beds. One of our nephew's had ant bites all over. There are a lot of older buildings that they do ask you to stay out of, they are hazards. We didn't spend any of our time, besides sleeping there. Had the house been kept up and updated (dishes are all chipped, etc) it might have been a little bit more of an enjoyable stay. The toilet looked new so that's a plus. We have pictures of everything that we have sent the owner.
4.0
Awesome
The door locks need replacing. Grass needs to be cut. Needs WiFi and cable. The. Antenna for TV needs replacing. Inside could be updated. Other than that stay was awesome.
Te
4.0
Quaint farmhouse in a beautiful small town
We really enjoyed our stay. The owner and property manager were incredibly helpful. The property was unique and beautiful. *I didn’t do a very good job of reading the property description so we hadn’t set time aside to clean the house and do the laundry so we had to reschedule activities. We’ve never stayed in a VRBO with that requirement but for the price of a nightly the stay it makes sense...overall it was a nice house to spend the week in.
4.0
Comfortable and lovely home.
This was a wonderful home for our stay. There was room for our large family. Thank you. The owners were good to work with our late arrival too.
5.0
Large place in small town
It was just like the description online. There are several old buildings around that kids are not supposed to get into and there is a tiny pond of about 10 x 20‘ below the house. The deposit was returned about two weeks after we left. We thoroughly cleaned the house and did not pay for the cleaning service. I appreciate that the owners offer this way to save money.
5.0
Perfect Home base for our Eagle viewing weekend.
We had intended to have a sledding and skiing weekend, but the weather had something else to say about this. Still had plenty to do walking the dogs in Shimek and heading down to Keokuk. The beds are very comfortable, kitchen well stocked and the house had plenty of room for the 7 of us. We really enjoyed are stay and look to try the sledding again!
5.0
Amazing, huge property with so much room to explore and enjoy
Home is a rustic farmhouse with enough updates to feel comfortable, but not so overdone so as to detract from the history and feel for where you are. Plenty of room for the kids to explore, you feel like you're in your own little world, yet town is just down the road. Ample provisions available for cooking and entertainment. Just a really fun little getaway spot that the whole family will really enjoy.
4.0
We enjoyed our stay the farmhouse is awesome and we had plenty of room and everything we needed .
The owner and manager are very easy to work with !
FAQs
How much does this farm stay cost compared to others in Iowa?
The average price for a rental in Iowa is $134 per night. This rental is $1 above the average.
Is parking included with this farm stay?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at 4br Wonderful Farm Home for vacationing, reunions, biking, hunting, fishing. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this farm stay?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at 4br Wonderful Farm Home for vacationing, reunions, biking, hunting, fishing. Enjoy the water!
Is 4br Wonderful Farm Home for vacationing, reunions, biking, hunting, fishing pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this farm stay is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at 4br Wonderful Farm Home for vacationing, reunions, biking, hunting, fishing?
We found 6 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, air conditioner, kitchen / kitchenette, parking, and laundry.
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