"Thirties" is a charming 600 sq ft studio apartment on the lower level of Stirling Cottage, (the farmhouse above that can sleep up to 16 people.) It is a perfect place for a casual weekend or for longer term lodging (which comes with a significant discount.) Thirties features a hand-built (sorry, non-working) massive stone fireplace, a fully equipped 1930's - style kitchen, and unique bathroom. The main room has a daybed that sleeps two, with an art screen that separates it from the "bedroom" with twin beds. (Ample floor space would allow 2 extra guests on air mattresses - extra charge of $20/person/night.) An inside stairway connects Thirties to Stirling, - together, they can sleep up to 22 people. Or the stairway door can be locked on both sides for guest privacy - Thirties has its own private entry.
Situated on 60 beautiful, peaceful acres, we are a working farm with a "laughing creek" bordering the west edge of the property. Stroll the property, lounge in the hammock with one of the affectionate cats, listen to the birds, have morning coffee leisurely at the table under the trees, and take a journey back to a simpler time with the vintage ambiance of this lodging. PLEASE NOTE: I cannot accommodate animals inside the apartment because so many of my guests have allergies.
Here are three additional amenities that may interest your group: FARM TOUR At the Cottage farm, (weather/season permitting,) we offer a Farm Tour which includes interacting with and hand-feeding Hannah & Hezzy, our long-hair Scottish Highland heifer & bull; Tom and Harry, our two Alpacas; Rebecca, our LaMancha milk goat (and the other goats;) Libby, Valiant, & Esther, our Anatolian/Pyrenees goat guardians; and, Jill, the affectionate barn cat. Across the road at the Stirling farm are beautiful St. Gertrudis cattle, my assortment of chickens, and more sweet, affectionate cats. In addition to interacting and hand-feeding the animals (except Libby,) the tour includes milking lessons (when Rebecca is still producing,) and egg collection - $30 for 1-10 people - $40 for 11-20.
MASSAGE: I am acquainted with an experienced massage therapist, who brings her table and supplies to the property. One recent guest who has experienced professional massage therapy in many of her world-wide travels, said, "Elise gave me the best massage I have ever had!" And another said, - “ Elise gave Rich the best massage he has had since we left Arizona 20 years ago!” (Advanced notice necessary-payment made directly to Elise.)
CATERING: There are also two caterers within five miles of the farm: Angie Smith – catering – smoked meats, etc. Mende Staggs – cakes and full meal catering. Communication and payment made directly to them.
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George Washington Carver National Monument - 19 min drive - 17.9 km
North Park Mall - 22 min drive - 26.8 km
Getting around
Joplin, MO (JLN-Joplin Regional) - 32 min drive
Restaurants
Lucky J Steak House & Arena - 21 min drive
Grandma's Farmers Market - 18 min drive
Casey's - 15 min drive
El Patio Mexican Restaurant - 17 min drive
Schwans Home Service - 15 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is "Thirties" Apt at Ozark Highlands Farm pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at "Thirties" Apt at Ozark Highlands Farm?
As of 18 May, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at "Thirties" Apt at Ozark Highlands Farm on 1 Oct, 2026 start from S$63, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at "Thirties" Apt at Ozark Highlands Farm?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at "Thirties" Apt at Ozark Highlands Farm?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at "Thirties" Apt at Ozark Highlands Farm?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is "Thirties" Apt at Ozark Highlands Farm located?
Located in the heart of Carthage, this apartment building is 2.5 mi (4.1 km) from Noah Brown's Prairie and within 9 miles (15 km) of Samuel J. Butcher Museum and Precious Moments Chapel. George Washington Carver National Monument and Carver Prairie are also within 9 miles (15 km).
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
I stayed here for two months while interning for a local EMS service. The apartment was clean and the location was great! It was quiet and peaceful yet close enough to all necessary shops and restaurants. Merre was super nice. I wish I could’ve stayed longer! I definitely recommend this place!
Mindy B.
Stayed 70 nights in May 2024
Archival
8/10 Good
Jay G.
11 Sept, 2017
Cute little basement apartment
My friend and I had a very enjoyable stay here. It was nice seeing all the animals and feeding the chickens. The only reason I didn't give five stars is I find it weird that I'm charged a cleaning fee, and then asked to please do all the dishes, tidy up, and take out the garbage.
Jay G.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Mar, 2020
Jay,
I appreciate your candid response about how to get a five star review from me. The cleaning fee I charge actually doesn't cover the cost of making sure the apartment is clean and sanitized for my next guests, so by them cleaning up things they have used and taking out trash to prevent bugs for the next person, is a huge help.
You and Becky did a stellar job, I might add!
Verified
4/10 Poor
Brenda W.
16 Jul, 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, location
Disliked: Check-in, communication
Carthage MO stay
Nobody was there to meet us and we never got any check in information. We waited over an hour for someone to show up after several calls to her. The last night of our stay the people above us were very loud until 2 am.
Brenda W.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Aug, 2022
Hi Brenda,
You are right - I dropped the ball and had in my mind that you were arriving the next day. Once again, my apologies - I was concerned that would happen some day especially with all the guests that have booked my four properties this summer.
I didn't know about the noise above you and would have knocked on their door personally if you had mentioned it. I hope you have good results booking through VRBO on your next adventure!
Sincerely, Merre
Hosts are more them friendly and welcoming. The place is amazing and clean. I can not thank them enough for the stay. Loved the location as farms are around and makes for great scenery.
Every part of our stay at Merre's property was lovely. Very clean and well cared for, as well as special attention to details. While they location was out of the city (which we wanted) it also was only a 15 minute drive to major stores. The chickens and cats were cute and the walks around the farm and creek were wonderful. We hope to convince our extended family to come with us another time. Thank you, Merre!
If you are looking for a great experience on a cattle/chicken/cat farm in the southern-mid US that is kid-friendly this is your place! I am an Agriculture Education Instructor and FFA Advisor from Ohio who took two of my three sons to Merre’s farm for a quick night’s stay in “Our element” before a college visit to Oklahoma State University- the first thing we did (as it was almost dusk) was hike into the pasture of Santa Gertrudis cattle - we raise angus crossbreds amd crossbred hogs - many of which we utilize for show stock - the experience WE had was being around an atypical species for us but the herd quickly found us as their own and followed us back up toward the barn 🤗 Point being this is a well kept heard that many can experience as non-herdsmen! Great place to “get ur country on” just say “Cow’s C’mon!” 😉 Well recommended!
We were looking for a place for my family to host a celebration of life and this was exactly what we needed. Great outdoor space with bonfire. Perfect for walks and connecting with nature. Home was an adorable country farmhouse that took us back to a simpler time. Plenty of space for everyone to mingle or have moments alone.
The accommodations were just right, the environment incredibly restful, and Merre was wonderful to work with! Super kind and helpful! If we’re ever in the area again, we would definitely stay here!
The thirties apt was perfect for our long weekend getaway. It was a straight drive into Joplin where we had many restaurant choices and was a fairly quick drive. Merre was an excellent host and provided us with fresh baked bread and eggs. The George Washington Carver monument is also very close and was a great half day trip even with the visitors center closed. We would definitely stay again.
The kids were charmed by the place from the minute we arrived. Before we’d finished unpacking the car, they were loving on the kittens. Later that afternoon, we explored the farm and the creek, which was full of fish, crawfish, and frogs. The next morning, we had farm fresh eggs for breakfast and took an official tour of the farm with Merre and John. We only had one day on the farm before the next leg of our road trip, but it was fun and restorative. The kids are already plotting a return trip to the farm.
Ad a family, we rented both the “Thirties” and the “ Stirling”. What an amazing place! Secluded and quiet with great ambience! Merre was the perfect host! She welcomed us with fresh baked bread in both cottages and was always available for any questions. We highly recommend both of these rentals!!
I’m currently working in Joplin and wanted to try something other than hotel. Merre’s place is so clean and so quiet, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. Bonus: the WiFi works great so i was able to do homework. Double bonus: there was homemade bread! 10/10 recommend.
great bnb. easy to find. very quiet location. very friendly local folks. very good site for faa 107 uav training flights. just ask the landowners for permission first. good clear class g airspace. very clean and in top notch condition. will be booking there again next year. now to figure out how much they want for the upper part of the house I was at.
We enjoyed our stay! Our son really enjoyed the fresh baked chocolate chip cookies! Accommodations were perfect!
Miriam M.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Verified traveller
23 Nov, 2018
Family girls weekend was great!
Girls from ages 11 to 80 enjoyed the peaceful setting and nicely decorated home. We rented both the Thirties and Stirling Cottage so we could have plenty of room. Merre was great to work with, she even left us with homemade bread in the bread machine and fresh farm eggs which were unexpected bonuses. Merre allowed me to come by early to see what the place looked like and then helped set things up for our crafts the day we arrived. There was plenty of hot water for showers and comfortable beds. We fixed our own meals in the Stirling kitchen which had helpful casserole dishes, crockpot, and cookware. We have already reserved a time next year so we can do it all over again.
Verified traveller
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Britnee S.
31 Oct, 2018
Perfect getaway
Perfect get away! Such a cute home. We loved the thirties room and all the animals that greeted us. While the owners were awa my for our stay their communication was always on par and very quick. They also had their daughter swing by to introduce herself and let us know she’s around if we needed anything. Also fresh eggs available from the chickens for breakfast. Absolutely will be going back again!
Britnee S.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Mar, 2020
Britnee - thank you for your kind words - I look forward to meeting you in person next time!
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Tara L.
6 Nov, 2017
Pioneer woman adventure
Beautiful!! Loved it. Hope to stay again.
Tara L.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Mar, 2020
Thanks, Tara - you are always welcome to come and stay!
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Karen M.
19 Sept, 2017
Fabulous! Will definitely be back!
The Thirties is a wonderful spacious yet cozy apartment! Merre has been such a gracious host and I will definitely be back again. From the beautiful country surroundings, quiet, to the fresh eggs & fantastic warm, homemade bread that was waiting for me when I arrived! It was fantastic!!
Karen M.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Mar, 2020
Karen,
Thank you for your kind words - you are one of the nicest guests I've every had! You left everything is such good shape, it hardly looked like you were there. You are always welcome!
Merre
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Elberta C.
28 Aug, 2017
So beautifully decorated and inviting. Very gracious and accommodating hostess.
On this working farm, one could clearly see the Milky Way, gather fresh eggs, summer squash and pears. As I was born and raised nearby and my husband was raised in Joplin, it was an absolute joy to spend five days in nostalgic territory. We now live in the Philadelphia suburbs, but when we return again, we will look no further than maybe considering the nearby milk house. That is, unless our hostess does purchase the nearby farm that was in my family for four generations. My husband wasn't feeling well part of our stay. So thankful to have such a wonderful place for him to recuperate and for me to revisit childhood sites , old friends and family. The Thirties was well equipped with anything we needed. There were even first aid supplies! There was no tv, but we didn't even miss it. We give the place six stars.
Elberta C.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Mar, 2020
Joe and Elberta,
Thank you for your very kind words and for being such great guests! You left everything so clean and tidy, it hardly looked like you had stayed - and you even went the extra mile sweeping what the chickens scratched up from the garden!
I look forward to having you stay again anytime.
About the host
Hosted by Merre Putnam
I love: anything having to do with off the beaten path adventure, creating and designing things, learning, gardening, reading, playing games, uniqueness, and bargains. Repurposing things and working with people is energizing to me, but the best is hanging out with our 8 children (4 original and 4 spouses) and eight grandchildren. I enjoy traveling and staying with other hosts.