Hand Crafted Earthen Cottage Retreat

Featuring straw bale walls with clay plaster, wood flooring and tile, the cottage is a calming retreat immersed on a 20-acre forest farm. Watch the birds from the porch, write your next novel, sit by a campfire or walk the nature trail right outside your backdoor.

Set back from a quiet country road, you'll find a peaceful and private experience close to all the Finger Lakes offers - beautiful state parks, hiking, wineries, breweries, and many good restaurants. We are only 12 miles from Ithaca, 10 miles from Watkins Glen and 8 miles from Trumansburg!

The space:
Vintage decor and hand-plastered walls combine with brand-new furnishings and an open floor plan to provide a uniquely relaxing atmosphere. (The cottage was built in 2022. Please note, that the final exterior layer of plaster on the outside of the cottage is being completed this summer. This will not impact your stay whatsoever).

Walk to the cottage from the private driveway along a short 100' path. We provide a cart to make it easier for you to carry your luggage. There are two wide steps to climb, which bring you to the large covered porch.

Outside, enjoy the porch with chairs, a table, a double and a single hammock, a propane grill, and a fire pit with Adirondack chairs (wood is provided).

Upon entering the cottage, a small nook framed in repurposed local barn wood provides a bench and hooks to hang your coat and leave your shoes. To your left are stairs to the LOFT, complete with an all-natural mattress, bamboo pillows, and cotton sheets. Two windows, an open-style railing, a view of the living room, and high ceilings in the middle of the loft create a spacious, cozy feel. **Please note, the stairs to the loft are steeper than normal steps. We suggest using the railing. And, you can stand up fully in the loft; however, the ceiling is lower on one side -as pictured - so the bedframe is not standard height.

Windows surround the LIVING ROOM, and a couch and ottoman invite you to relax. The wood stove provides a cozy atmosphere and plenty of warmth for winter renters. Fiber optic WIFI with a wireless router keeps you connected for streaming to your favorite shows or working remotely.
**Extra Bed: While the place is ideal for 2 people, the couch can be used as a twin bed for a 3rd person.

The full KITCHEN has a refrigerator, freezer, gas stove, gas oven, tea kettle, pots, pans, cookware, silverware, dishes, toaster oven, dish towels, oil, basic spices, organic coffee, French press, and organic tea (Note: there is no microwave and only hand towels - NOT paper towels - are provided).

Off the living space is a full BATHROOM, complete with a large tiled shower, sink, vanity, toilet, and shelves to store your toiletries. A bath towel, hand towel, and washcloth are provided for each guest. All-natural hand and body soaps are also provided.

HEAT/AC: HEAT is provided by a large space heater or the wood stove. Guests should plan to use the stove if temperatures are below 20 degrees. Wood for the wood stove is provided. There is no AC in the cottage, although the 12-inch-thick straw-and-plaster walls are built to naturally keep the temperature comfortable in both summer and winter, and all the windows are operable.

*We DO NOT ALLOW PARTIES. A MAXIMUM of 3 people may stay at the cottage. People may not set up tents outside.*

***We CLEAN with only non-toxic, all-natural cleaning supplies between each guest and sanitize door handles. We use Seventh Generation laundry detergent and dryer sheets. If "clean" means you want to smell bleach, chemicals, Tide, Bounty or other strong scents, this is not the right stay for you. *

The GROUNDS and Property: The cottage is on the grounds of our farm, Wellspring Forest Farm, a small family-run agroforestry farm producing mushrooms, pastured lamb, and maple syrup. In warmer months, the sheep occasionally graze near the cottage as they rotate through our 20 acres.

A short distance from the front of the cottage, there is a .8-mile NATURE TRAIL available all year round to cottage guests (seasonally, the trail can be very wet). The trail is used occasionally by guests of our other rental from May - October; "Secluded Cozy Yurt Finger Lakes, Grill & Fire Pit," ourselves and neighbors.

Farm tours are available by request for $40-$80/group and last about 60 minutes. Meet the sheep, see the mushrooms, taste the sap (depending on the season.)

Other things to note:
About straw bale construction: Straw bale buildings are earth-friendly and provide excellent insulation and the ability to moderate temperature, staying cooler in summer and toasty warm in winter. As in this cottage, straw bales are usually covered in multiple layers of earthen clay plaster, with each layer (from the inside out) getting smoother and more refined. Almost all the construction materials (straw, clay, sand, wood) in this cottage have been sourced locally, from within 80 miles. No plywood or pressure-treated wood was used in the construction. Strawbale buildings are known to create a very healthy environment because the clay literally purifies the ambient indoor air and humidity. The plastered walls, with their natural textures and velvet-like appearance, make for a calming and soft living space.
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Please visit our other listing "Secluded Cozy Yurt Finger Lakes, Grill & Fire Pit" to see the positive reviews we have had over the five years we've been rental hosts. You can expect the same level of cleanliness, comfort and enjoyment as our yurt guests.
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Groups who rent both the cottage and the yurt can receive a 10% discount.
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We ask guests to remove shoes inside the cottage to help keep it cleaner for everybody. Guests might want to travel with slippers to ensure your comfort, especially in cooler months.

WATER - We ask that you avoid bringing bottled water to help us minimize adding to the waste stream. The cottage has well water and a large filtration system to provide some of the cleanest water possible. We also provide a Brita filter.

We also ask guests to strip beds and put used linens in a laundry bag. This helps reduce germ exposure to the cleaner and enables us to keep our cleaning fees lower (compared to the many $100+ fees that are common).
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The cottage is available to rent by all people regardless of race, color, class, gender identity, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, physical ability or marital status. We support BLACK LIVES MATTER.
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Please - If you need anything during your stay, something isn't working properly or there is an issue, please let us know! We want your stay to be most enjoyable and comfortable.