Our story
An 1847 homestead, still a working farm
Ten acres of pasture, gardens and woods in the Kettle Moraine, just west of downtown West Bend, Wisconsin.
The land
The original log house was built in 1847, and it still anchors the farm. Today it holds the farmstay suite, with its hand-hewn walls and fieldstone hearth. Around it are a historic barn, organic gardens, and groomed trails through the meadow and woods.
Cedar Lakes conservation land borders the farm on two sides, so deer and wild turkeys are regular visitors, and the nights are quiet and dark.
The people
Mary O’Connell and Jim O’Connell are the farm’s current stewards. Mary has been an educator for more than twenty years. She leads the Paradise Farm School, a nonprofit and a representative program of LifeWays North America, and she hosts the farm’s guests.
The hosts live on the property, and are looking forward to making your stay comfortable while safeguarding your privacy.
The animals
Goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, a few friendly barn cats, and the honey bees. Morning chores are open to anyone who wants to help, from first-time farm visitors to the Farm School’s youngest students.
Come see for yourself
A thriller was filmed on the property in 2021, and you can stream it on Amazon Prime and Tubi. We can’t vouch for the movie, but the farm and the animals look great.