Barn in Boonville

Min 3 days. Private quiet 1 room 500 sq ft timber frame cabin nestled in the midst of a naturalized garden on 12 acres. Great star gazing. A variety of indoor/outdoor spaces for relaxing and meals. WiFi. Wood stove/AC in main room. Compost toilet in separate building. Outdoor shower (turned off mid-October to mid-April). Short stays Max 3 adults or 2 adults/2 children. Long stays 2 people max. Well behaved cat/dog OK. No events/parties, indoor smoking, candles. Hosts live 15 minutes away. The space I would have thought that my little cabin could be described as “Rustic’- but when I look at other listings that term seems to include many luxury items I don’t offer. So perhaps it would best be described as “primitive with wifi”, “boho grandma chic”, or some other silly term. However we describe our little cabin it provides a simple, beautiful, quiet space at an affordable price. Like camping, but nicer, because at the end of the day there’s a leak-proof roof, a really terrific mattress, and utter privacy. Depending on the season you may wake up to wind in the willow, rain on the metal roof, cacophonous frog song, the tapping of woodpeckers, or the raucous call of a young heron landing on the little pond. (If you want to explore along the Missouri River, access to the Katy Trail for hiking or biking is just a few miles away in Boonville, Rocheport and New Franklin, and the cabin is also near several large hiking and birdwatching areas.) The main room has a double bed and a twin bed. Woodstove and free-standing airconditioner. Electric heater for when only a little extra warmth is needed. The timber frame cabin features 19th century wooden timbers reclaimed from my great-grandparents barn in Iowa, a structure originally built to house draft horses as the railroad was being pushed through the Midwestern prairie-and later locally famous as a venue for country dancing. When the pipes won't freeze (approximately April-early November, there is a shower outside. Hot/cold water available year round indoors. If you like cold water in the summertime there’s a large outside tub- and you can fill it up for a cold soak. Through the year there is also water available outside from a hydrant. Wood heat in the winter. Supplemental electric heater is enough to keep the cabin warm in early fall and late spring. There is an area for a campfire outside but safety precautions are required (ie no burning if windy or in drought). The cabin is surrounded by a mix of prairie, native trees, and a naturalized garden of trees, shrubs and perennials. Something is usually blooming- from the first fragrant witch hazel in February to the last asters and sunflowers of fall. No matter the weather you can find shelter from sun or rain along the outside of the cabin:. Roofed exterior areas include a eastern facing shade structure (outside furniture and a dining table), a Southern facomg ‘picnic’ table area, and a western facing intimate bricked patio just outside the front door. There’s also a great spot to relax in a hammock under the birch trees. Cooking can be done inside by microwave, electric hotplate, skillet, or crockpot. Gas grill outside also has a burner. Apartment size refrigerator. When the weather is nice I usually do all my cooking outside on the giant wooden counter. There is a modest supply of utensils, dinnerware, glasses, cups, and pots and pans. There are small amounts of basic supplies for the kitchen: salt, sugar, oil, spices, tea; coffee filters for the mellita cones ( or a one cup electric coffee maker if you prefer) . Outside, if you’re quiet, you might see native rabbits or deer as they sneak in to nibble away at the gardens. We’ve also seen coyotes, fox, skunk and bobcat in the woods and prairie. The fields are populated by the other usual country critters- squirrels, mice, voles, groundhogs, box turtles, birds, insects, five stripe skinks, and snakes. There's a vocal population of bullfrogs and tree frogs. Hawks nest and raise their young nearby. Good bird watching if you are quiet. There are armadillos in the vicinity but so far we’ve haven’t spotted them on our property. From neighboring farms you may hear the sounds of cattle, horses, braying donkeys, or dogs. A few steps from the cabin you can walk up a brief incline and make your way to the quiet green shade of the pond. The property also features a lovely, small spring-fed ‘branch’ on the eastern perimeter, a deep ravine to the north, and opportunities for slow meandering, looking, and thinking. There are good spots for yoga, laughter, conversation, meditating, praying, daydreaming, dancing, painting, reading, napping or writing. There is a wooden yoga/sleeping deck just outside the back door- a great place to sleep under the stars. You can peruse an eclectic selection of books- fiction old and new, and a variety of topics from biology and anatomy to birds, wildflowers, and gardening. I no longer rent the small exterior bedroom (except for long stays) but that's where you'll find the library. We provide towels, sheets, quilts/blankets, and rags for emergency cleaning (mud or spills), and a modest selection of soap and shampoo. On Saturday you can head into Boonville for organic eggs and fresh fruit and vegetables at the small farmer’s market, or drive into Columbia to the much, much larger one. There is an aprtment sized refrigerator so if you bring lots of food we encourage you to use a cooler. If the vegetable garden is producing we will hope to provide you with some vegies, fresh herbs, or tomatoes or fruit- and if the timing is right we’ll put some flowers on the kitchen table. Or perhaps you’ll venture out to pick some wildlings from the prairie or the ditches. In 2022 we suspended vegetable production in the field above the cabin but hope to have it back in limited production for 2023 (you won’t usually see us but you might hear us laughing as we work up there). We tend the upper garden and the cabin gardens several times weekly, depending on how much watering and weeding is needed but we are respectful of your privacy. If you want to learn more about gardening we always need help and we love to talk organic gardening with anyone who is interested. The cabin is less than five miles from a basic grocery store in Boonville, or about 25 miles from a wide array of international, organic and natural foods in Columbia. Access to the Katy Trail and the Missouri River is nearby. The famous Budweiser draft horses are less than ten minutes away, but book your tour in advance. If you’re from out of state and you want a cultural outing there are many local and regional historical sites, as well as museums in Fayette, Columbia (Museum of Art and Archaeology, and the Boone County Historical Society), Sedalia (the Daum), the St Louis Art Museum, and Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Art Institute. If you want to eat out the local choices are wide, from down-home cafes in nearby small towns to upscale wineries (nearby Rocheport) and bistros (Columbia and Rocheport). WHAT WE PROVIDE: Basic dishes, pots and pans. Beds with sheets, pillows, blankets. Towels and washcloths. Toilet paper, soap, shampoo and dish soap. Flashlights. We provide a supply of extra water as protection against loss of electricity or problems with the well (unlikely, but always best to be prepared). We keep many herbs and spices in the kitchen, along with pepper corns and salt. WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING: Food, sunscreen and mosquito repellent; your preferred lotions and personal care items; camping gear if you want to sleep outside; camp stove if you don’t want to use electric appliances or the grill. Hats. Sturdy shoes and pants if you want to hike through the fields or woods (to protect yourself from poison ivy, chiggers and ticks). When you leave we hope the cabin will be reasonably tidy with damp towels hung on the stainless steel sink or on the rod outside; dishes cleaned, and appliances turned off. We ask that you place compostable material in the compost pile, and that you separate the recyclables from the actual ‘trash’. If you need help with something, we’re about fifteen minutes away. We’re usually in bed before 9 (but up by five or six); texting is a good way to communicate as I don't have email coming to my phone. Guest access Located on one of the highest points in Cooper County, the entire cabin and immediate surrounding 12 acres are available to guests. When driving to the property look for the mailbox marked 19594 Rocheport Road. The mailbox is on a long wooden 'arm' over the drainage ditch. Once you're on the lane it heads immediately west (left). As you go up the hill look for the wooden posts on the right; each is crowned with a cement pineapple. That's the driveway to the cabin. If you continue down the lane you'll disturb our neighbor, so please watch for the entry to the cabin. Other things to note This is the country. Think of this experience as fancy camping! If seeing a coyote, mouse, vole or snake will be too much for you please find a more suitable listing.