The Milk House is a unique, newly renovated space located in the countryside between Iowa City & Kalona. This 700 square foot home has ample parking and room for four adults. The house is well appointed with a full kitchen, two luxurious queen beds, wifi and a Smart TV. Guests are invited to explore our 20-acre working farm with lots of livestock and two friendly dogs. It's a perfect blend of rural living with the perks of beautiful Iowa City nearby. Come unwind at Lucky Star Farm!

The space
Our family moved to this farm in 2011 with a mission is to create a sustainable family-centered farm that provides ethically raised food and educational opportunities for the community. Our intention is to welcome and connect with local consumers and learners as well as provide supplemental income for our family.

We started our journey by buying some chicks and planting some fruit trees. Next came dairy goats and sturdy fences. We added a llama or two for protection and then some Thanksgiving turkeys and solar panels. We follow organic practices and raise animals on pasture to regenerate the soil and produce the healthiest food possible. Each year we continue to work towards those goals and put next steps into action.

In 2020, we achieved a key part of our original vision - to welcome people to the farm and help connect them to the land and local food through farm stay experiences.

We are excited to share our vision with the community and to educate interested guests about the diversity on our farm, which was once one of many small dairy farms scattered throughout the area. The milk house was originally built sometime before the 1950s. Cows were walked from the barn to the parlor, tied to a stanchion, fed and milked. After they were returned to the barn, the floor was washed and the water was carried away through the floor drains. We decided the story this building told was worth preserving and sharing as an ideal, creative type of space for visitors and overnight guests.

Although the Milk House technically fits within the definition of a "tiny house", we have used the space thoughtfully to maximize comfort, utility, and function for our guests. In fact, one of the first things we often hear from our guests is that it's much more spacious than it looks and that they had thought it would be.

Because sustainability is an important part of our mission, rather than build a new structure we opted to remodel the original building into a more creative space, incorporating repurposed materials from our farm, including the old tin from our barn roof, weathered old siding, and planks from the haymow. Powered in part by the sun, the Milk House offers guests the comfort of modern amenities with these reminders of the past.

We hope your stay on Lucky Star Farm is special and that you will leave with a smile on your face and a deeper appreciation of small farms and the Iowa countryside.

Guest access
The farm is full of outdoor opportunities. Guests can stroll over to the pond and swim, explore, or relax on the sandy beach and dock. Guests are also welcome to fish (catch and release) or use the stand-up paddleboard (lifejackets provided). There is a fire pit, complimentary firewood, and roasting sticks for your use. At the barn you can visit the goats and see their kids playing in the spring. There is a half mile trail around the property that takes you past the restored prairie and llama pasture. Guests can see what's growing in the edible forest and circle through the mandala garden. Visit the chicken coop and see how your farm fresh eggs are made!

Other things to note
Please enter the farm via the drive next to the mailbox & sign. It's safer and easier!
If you are booking a stay during the winter months, you may wish to pack slippers. The original concrete floors can be chilly!