Getting to Know Down Home Farm

Sweet Caroline, our 1978 reimagined Airstream, is tucked among the oak trees on the property, and we’re continuing to add touches that make her setting even more special. Because we’re off-grid and weather plays such a big role in access and readiness, we don’t have an exact opening date yet. Our hope is to welcome our first guests in 2026 — when she’s truly ready, and when the seasons and weather align.

Not quite yet. What you see in our portfolio are early sessions that show the land’s quiet backdrop. Bookings will begin in 2026.

The dirt road that leads to the Down Home Farm is part of what keeps this place secluded and off-grid — but it also means we have to embrace prairie rhythms. After a heavy rain, sessions or stays may need to be rescheduled until the road is dry again. It’s one more way the land sets the pace here.

Yes — in time. Our vision includes adding up to 2–3 unique, seasonal accommodations, thoughtfully spaced for privacy and seclusion. Each will be guided by the land and the seasons, with Sweet Caroline as the first to welcome guests.

Yes — absolutely. Down Home Farm is pet-friendly for both stays and photo sessions. 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. Whether your dog is part of your stay or part of your story, they’re welcome here — and we love when they’re included.

Not yet — though if Faye had her way, there’d be a Highland cow grazing out front just waiting for selfies. (Bryan says that’s never happening… but she’s still trying to convince him 😉). For now, the Down Home Farm is about the trees, the river, and the quiet — no daily chores, just peaceful prairie views.

Our 120-acre prairie property — a blend of 30 acres of riparian woodland and 90 acres of cropland — sits right outside Winnipeg, offering a rare chance to experience true seclusion so close to the city. Our vision is to create a place where you can pause, breathe, and reconnect with life’s simpler rhythms. We’re starting with enduring photography sessions, and will grow into unique stays and creative land uses over time — each step shaped by the seasons and done with intention.

We’re just 25 minutes from Winnipeg’s city limits — tucked off the beaten path near the small town of Starbuck, Manitoba. Here, oak woodland meets crop land and a meandering prairie river, creating a private retreat where you can slow down and breathe a little deeper.

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 photos 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

Those 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.

For now, the land is held quietly and intentionally. In the future, we may thoughtfully consider very small, intimate ceremonies or elopements that honour the land, the stillness, and the meaning of the moment — a very tender dream we hold close in our hearts and dreams.