We both grew up in the area and graduated from Wheaton High School in 1972. After high school we moved to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area where we lived for 30+ years and raised our family. Over the years we often spent time at Steve’s family farm. In the early 2000’s, with no one living there anymore, the farm site was becoming sadly dilapidated -- yet the land, trees and water continued to hold a great sense of peace and beauty.
We decided to buy the farm site, not quite knowing what we would do with it but wanting to preserve and restore its beauty and share it with others. We cleaned up 100 years worth of metal and junk and planted 6 acres of wildflowers and grasses to add to the hundreds of trees that were already there.
The process took several years. During that time we made weekend journeys to camp at the farm and do the work we could. We quickly found ourselves reluctant to leave at the end of the weekend. We decided to build a small home with plans to perhaps retire there.
In 2007 we moved into our new home (although we are not retired) and have been here ever since. We are so grateful every day that we are able to live here, enjoying the quiet beauty of the prairie, its sunrises and sunsets, the star filled night skies, amazing birds and wildlife, and of course our pet chickens who entertain and feed us (eggs only!)
We both have a keen interest in art. Steve graduated from University of Minnesota Morris with an art degree with a focus on sculpture and continues to explore his favorite medium. Vicky is pursuing her own interests in photography and encaustic painting (painting with pigmented wax). Our newest project on the farm is her new art studio. Vicky is also is an experienced practitioner of acupuncture and has a clinic in nearby Wheaton.

Since our house is small, we realized we needed additional room for guests. We found an old granary a mile away and had it moved to our site. In the spirit of recycling, we transformed it into a beautiful guest cottage that we have decided to share with people looking for a peaceful retreat like ours.

We love our decorating projects and have incorporated antiques and furniture from our parents and grandparents, barn doors from an uncle's abandoned farm 1 mile north of us and the horseshoe we found while digging the foundation. The original granary floor is refinished and a screen porch lends that relaxed country feel.
The cottage is about 200 feet from the house, where sight lines and trees maintain a sense of privacy for both buildings.