Our grandsons are the 5th generation on this family farm and we have lived in this home over 26 years. The home was built in 1929, during the Great Depression. It is a knock-off Sears & Roebuck bungalow/craftsman-style home. We have restored the home to its original glory and plan to eventually rent the whole home at some point. The home was constructed by 2 men who lived on the farm in the chicken coop. They received room & board with Great Grandma Alta feeding them during construction. The cost was around $2000 and the white & red oak used in the trim/flooring was actually harvested from the farm property. Marty's mom Alice lives next door and Marty's sister-Annette also lives next door-truly a family farm. At one time Willow Valley Farms milked over 200 registered holsteins. They discontinued milking in the late '80s. The family is hospitable and gracious. They will leave guests alone and are quiet and probably the most humble people anywhere-good Wisconsin folk. The home is surrounded by hills, forests, fields, and a Class A Trout stream in the heart of the beautiful Driftless Area. There is a 2 lane state highway in front of the home with quick access to Richland Center. Local attraction-Elephant Trunk rock is 1 mile away. The Ithaca (unincorporated) community is welcoming and warm.
We had over 600 square feet upstairs that we were not using anymore and decided to make the space into a guest suite. The remodeling was done in the spring of 2019 and the space has been completely renovated. The bathroom is all new construction.
We have completed the renovation of our downstairs and we love to show it off to our guests! We have tried to stay true to the Arts & Crafts movement and have put a lot of time and attention into details like our oak trim, quartz countertops, stain glass windows, wood floors, gas fireplace, and sauna.