00 - HomeGrown Nature Retreat

HomeGrown HideAways is a hundred-acre farm, lodging, & event facility in the Appalachian foothills near Berea, Ky. If you are looking for a retreat venue immersed in nature, this is it! There are 18 beds in 5 different rentals spread across the farm plus a Community Farmhouse with chef-inspired kitchen, classroom, laundry, library, and wrap-around porch. The 4000 sq.ft. pavilion has a stage, dancefloor, and picnic tables. There are hiking trails, playground, creeks, yard games, and more! The space We now have two EV chargers! HomeGrown HideAways is only 12 miles from Berea and 18 miles from Berea, but it feels like a world of its own. The farm is near the end of a 2-mile dead-end road and consists of ~80 acres of forested mountain (bring your trekking poles or borrow some hiking sticks from us) and ~20 acres of bottomland with 2 creeks, gardens, chickens, ducks, and all of our lodging and event facilities. This listing gets your group of up to 18 guests exclusive use of the entire farm - no other guests will be onsite during your stay, just the residents who live here and probably some delivery drivers or a neighbor stopping by. We can host a maximum of 30 guests with this listing, but additional fees may apply. The lodging sites vary in terms of comfort and amenities - not all of them have things like electricity, air conditioning, or linens so pay close attention to the details. NONE OF THE RENTALS HAVE INDOOR BATHROOMS, but there are 3 outhouses, a seasonal bath house, and 2 restrooms in the Community Farmhouse. TREETOP FLYER TREEHOUSE - Has a private outhouse, electric, AC, ceiling fans, and propane fireplace for heat. Spring water and linens are provided. The main floor has 2 full-size futons that can be converted between beds or couches as needed. There is also a dining table. The loft is accessed via ladder (250 lb max) and has 2 full-size mattresses on the floor. On the deck below, there is a swing, picnic table, and propane grill. See photos and captions for "Bedroom 1." ABI'S ARBOREAL ABODE & HAMMOCK HAVEN (Tree-Yurt) - Has a shared outhouse, electric, AC, ceiling fan, and electric fireplace for heat (please keep in mind that the yurt is basically an oversized tent so extreme heat and extreme cold will affect your comfort level - plan accordingly). There is a single top bunk, full-size bottom bunk, and single trundle as well as an expandable dining table and chairs for 4 people. Spring water and linens are provided. Underneath the treehouse is a picnic table, 2 hammocks, a firepit, and creek access. See photos and captions for "Bedroom 2." VINTAGE VAGABOND CAMPER - This one has the most amenities, including electric, heat, AC, microwave, fridge, coffee maker, 2 sinks with city water, dining table, small couch, and a queen size bed. There is a firepit outside and a view of the creek and the mountain. The outhouse next to Abi's is the closest restroom. See photos and captions for "Bedroom 3." YOME AWAY FROM HOME - Private outhouse, but NO air conditioning. Heat is provided by a woodstove. There is a small solar generator with enough power to run a fan and keep phones charged, but not much else. We provide battery-powered lanterns, spring water, and bed linens. The Yome has 4 beds: a twin upper bunk, full lower bunk, twin trundle, and full-size, fold-open futon couch. There's also an expandable dining table to seat 4. Outside, there's a massive deck, outdoor seating, hammock, solar string lights, firepit, and outdoor sink. See photos and captions for "Bedroom 4." THE NOOK - The bunkhouse is our most rustic accommodation (unless you're tent camping). No electric, no AC, no heat, no linens. This was built for scout troops and the budget minded. It has 2 bunk beds with twin top bunks and full lower bunks that can be converted from a couch to bed as needed. There are 2 other full-sized futons - one that can convert between a couch and a bed and one that is just a bed. The Nook is basically a screened porch with beds. The beds have fitted sheets, but no linens and no pillows. There is a firepit, bench, and picnic table outside. No outhouse. See photos and captions for "Bedroom 5." COMMUNITY FARMHOUSE - This building is the heart and soul of HomeGrown HideAways. It is where you will find the chef-inspired kitchen, 2 modern restrooms, coin-op laundry, and the 2nd floor classroom with library and board games. The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, including 3.5 ovens, 5-burner gas stove, refrigerator and freezer, coffee maker, 2 sinks (one for dishes, one for handwashing), dishwasher, expandable island with barstools, heirloom dining table, spring water dispenser, and all the basic cooking supplies (pots, pans, dishes, utensils, oil, salt, pepper, etc). The upstairs classroom has projector, screen, A/V equipment, and sound system. The room can be left empty for things like yoga classes or there are tables and chairs in the storage closets - just let us know what you need. PAVILION - The 4000 sq.ft. Pavilion is located next to the Community Farmhouse. It has a stage, dancefloor, 6 pews, and 15 picnic tables as well as firewood bundles, yard games, and a bar with 2 coolers, wine rack, and refrigerator. There is space available for setting up a buffet line if you are having a catered event (caterers LOVE our kitchen). BATH HOUSE - The bath house is typically open from April through October and is dependent on the prevailing weather patterns and probability of freezing temperatures. It is rustic and uninsulated (translation: you're likely to encounter some form of non-human life during your stay), but it has 4 flush toilets, 2 sinks, 2 showers, and hot water. Towels are not provided, though we do have some available for a fee if you forget yours. The floors are concrete so we recommend flip-flops or shower shoes to avoid cold feet. 100 ACRES OF APPALACHIAN HOLLER - The farm has steep and rugged hiking trails, forest, mountains, creeks, streams, wet-weather waterfalls, wildflowers, poison ivy, ticks, spiders, mosquitoes, snakes, squirrels, turtles, coyotes, birds, deer, turkey, and probably a bigfoot or two. This is NOT a manicured park with paved trails and a weekly spraying of insecticides. Bring your favorite bug spray. Wear pants, shoes, and socks when exploring the woods. Take a hiking stick for all kinds of reasons. Our dogs will gladly go hiking with you if you want to borrow them. Guest access Guests have access to the entire farm, excluding anything that's locked, the private residences, garage, and bird barns. Other things to note CELL SERVICE & WIFI ACCESS - We have VERY limited wifi and no cell service. We can share the wifi password with the host of the event, but there is not enough bandwidth for everyone to be connected. On a good day, we might get about 3 Mbps - yes, our Netflix buffers, just like in the olden times. If you're considering our space for some kind of gaming or work retreat with lots of zoom action, we're probably not a good fit.