North Porch Farmhouse

This cozy, well cared for and well-appointed 1840’s two-story farmhouse is surrounded by National Forest Service land, and puts you in the middle of year round outdoor adventure or quiet relaxation. Hiking, swimming holes, mountain bike trails, downhill skiing, Nordic skiing and river tubing are within a 30 minute drive or less. The Town of Rochester is a 5 minute drive away. The space Our house reflects much of what we love and look for in a place to gather with friends and family. A space that is clean and uncluttered, but not sterile or devoid of character. A very well stocked kitchen for making food and a large dining room table to share it with friends and family. Comfortable beds and pillows, and quality linens. A living room with plenty of comfortable seating to play a game or watch a movie, and well-made antique or hand crafted furnishings. A front porch with a picnic table and a view, and a back yard for grilling and whiffle ball. Guest access Guests have exclusive access to the property. The main entry way to the house is through an unfinished space, which offers a place to take off your boots and store your outdoor gear before entering the main house. We ask that you do not go up the stairs to the second floor of the unfinished entry space. As with many old farmhouses in VT, there is an old barn at the back of the property. It is not structurally sound and guests should not enter it. Other things to note Our house is off a paved, well maintained State road. AWD/4WD is not necessary. Tires with good treads are recommended for travel during winter weather. Cell service can be spotty, especially AT&T. However, wifi is very reliable. Upload speed is 20Mbps. The house does not have AC. There are fans in all the bedrooms. It's still fairly uncommon for the temperature to get above 80, and it cools off quickly in the evenings. We will consider installing AC as higher summer temperatures become more frequent in Vermont. We are in the rural countryside of Vermont. There might be a mouse, or a mouse dropping somewhere. We’ve done a lot to seal the house from cracks and holes where mice could get into the house, but they are squishy little contortionists, and are nearly impossible to eliminate altogether. Especially if you entice them to come in. Please help us keep up all the work we’ve done to manage and keep mice at bay by not leaving any food or crumbs out on counters. We have a no pets policy. However, please note that we do have a dog that does come to the house with us when we are there. He is a labrador-poodle mix (a breed considered to be hypoallergenic), and does not bother his owner who IS allergic to dogs. Guests are expected to clean up after themselves in the kitchen, and leave it as clean as they found it. This means guests clean and put away dishes, and any spills or splatters on the stove, counter, sink, cabinets, walls, or floor are wiped up. If it was not clean when you arrived, it is your responsibility to let me know. Our cleaning fee covers 5 hours of cleaning, which is how long it takes to change and wash all the linens, clean the 2 bathrooms, vacuum the whole house, and do basic cleaning in the kitchen. Our cleaner is scheduled for 5 hours, and in the busy season they do not have the flexibility, especially on short notice, to stay at our house longer to clean a mess in the kitchen.