FAQs + Rates

Down Home Farm spans 120 acres — approximately 30 acres of oak woodland and 90 acres of cropland — all gently wrapped by a bend in the river. At this time, Stays are limited to one accommodation, and photography Captures are spaced intentionally so there is no overlap. We live close by and have always valued this land for its wide, quiet, undisturbed nature — the same sense of privacy we aim to preserve for every guest.

Down Home Farm is accessed by rural roads, including a final stretch along a quiet dirt road. When road conditions are dry, guests can drive directly to the property and park on-site. When rain results in sticky or muddy road conditions, guests will be directed to a designated gravel parking area and transported to and from the property by side-by-side utility vehicle. If weather or road conditions make it impractical to reasonably accommodate a Stay or Capture, rescheduling may be required in accordance with our Guest Agreement.

Off-grid at Down Home Farm means the property is not connected to grid electricity or running water. Lighting and basic charging are solar-powered, and cell service is sufficient if you’d like to stay connected. There is no indoor plumbing — rather, a thoughtfully designed outdoor loo and a solar-heated open-air shower serve the property. Access is via rural roads, with a dirt road as the primary approach. Being off-grid is part of what makes this place unique — quieter, simpler, and intentionally set apart.

Yes, absolutely! Down Home Farm is dog-friendly for both overnight stays and photo captures. Our own dogs adore this property — racing through the oak trees, stretching out across the open field, and splashing along the little creek as it winds toward the river. It’s the kind of place dogs naturally settle into. As an unfenced rural property with open land and river access, dogs should be well behaved, under their owner’s control, and supervised at all times.

Today, Down Home Farm is simply land and quiet. Cows were once part of this place when our story began in 1993, but now it’s cropland, oak woodland, and river — no daily chores, just peaceful prairie views.

Yes — the La Salle River borders the property and may be accessed during your Stay or Capture. Guests are welcome to spend time at the dock, take in the riverbend, or bring their own watercraft if they wish. River conditions may vary throughout the season.

Down Home Farm is active prairie land, and with that comes the natural rhythm of rural Manitoba life. Mosquitoes and seasonal insects can be part of the landscape — some summers are light or nearly nonexistent, others (especially wetter seasons) can be heavier. Farm work moves with the calendar. At times you may notice sowing, tilling, or harvest unfolding in surrounding fields, along with the occasional farm scent carried on the breeze. We encourage guests to come prepared for time outdoors. Oak shade offers shelter on hot or windy days, screened outdoor space is available when desired, and evenings settle beautifully — with firelight, prairie air, and stars overhead.

Imagine arriving just off the beaten path — turning down a quiet dirt road where crops sway in the prairie breeze, oak woodland settles overhead, and the river gently curves through it all — it’s just you here. Set on 120 acres only 25 minutes from Winnipeg, Down Home Farm is off-grid and an intentionally private setting — an invitation for those who value privacy, seclusion, and prairie calm.

The crops change each year with rotation, but you’ll typically see wheat, canola, soybeans, oats, barley, or corn. The fields add a seasonal rhythm to the property — fresh green shoots in spring, golden grain heads in late summer — creating a stunning natural backdrop for prairie photo captures when the timing is right.

Since the 1960s, our family has called this property the Dauphinais Farm — named after the pioneering family, whose name we’ve always pronounced “duff-nee.” When we began dreaming of sharing it with others, we wanted a name that kept a nod to what we’ve always called it. Down Home Farm felt right — not only because it sounds a little like “Duff-nee Farm”, but because it also reflects the roots, connection, and slower way of life we want to share.

The name is also inspired by the song Down Home by Alabama, whose lyrics capture our vision perfectly:

🎶 Just off of the beaten path
🎶 A little dot on the prairie map
🎶 Things move at a slower pace
🎶 Where you can fall back home

These words mirror the feeling we hope guests will find here — a slower rhythm, a special way of life, and a chance to slip into the hush of the prairies if even just for a little while.