Whether a week, a weekend, a country retreat, or a special dinner…whether you’re a party of one or a large group…let the beautiful midwest countryside at the barn house country retreat be the backdrop to your overnight stay, special event or gathering.
If you are looking for:
your place to stay as you visit this beautiful area
a gathering of family and friends for holidays, reunions or just because life is short
the peace and quiet of the country
a corporate retreat or meeting place
a religious retreat
scrap booking or crafting retreat
quilting retreat
yoga or wellness retreat
or any other type of retreat or event
… no matter what you come for, it will become an unforgettable experience. The beauty of the country will surround you not only outside — the fields…the peacefulness…the sunrises and sunsets… that alone can take your breath away, but the inside of The Barn House will also leave you with a feeling of awe at the beauty of what it once was, and even more, what it is now.
A little history of The Barn House…
In 1935 in a labor of love, two brothers built this magnificent structure using milled lumber, a whole bunch of nails and the labor of their two hands. What resulted was a incredible wood structure, that through the years, has had several different owners and held a great deal of hay and many different four legged creatures. Cows, pigs and horses at one time or another called this place their home. A credit to the workmanship of those two brothers is that this barn was still standing strong and tall long after all those animal inhabitants were no longer there and the last of the hay had been removed.
About us and our history with The Barn House…
We are the Keppler’s…Tony and Gerarda, and we have five grown up children and one little angel. Our oldest son is Nick and his lovely wife is Michelle; Our daughter Abby is married to Tony Ball and they are the parents of my two grandchildren Cecelia Mae and Vincent…the most adorable grandchildren; our daughter Livy, son Robby, and daughter Sophie. Our little angel is Kristin.
In addition to being your hosts at The Barn House, I am a Psychology Instructor , Motivational Speaker and Trainer and Health and Wellness consultant, and Tony is a financial advisor and recently ordained Deacon in the Catholic Church. The Barn House Country Retreat is a family project.
Our journey with The Barn House began when we bought this farm in 1997. One of our favorite things to do was to go up in the loft of the barn and open the loft door and look out over the countryside. It was so magically peaceful to look out over fields and the valley and to hear the sounds of the country…it was as if heaven and earth came together in this special place. In addition, we would always look up at the ceiling in the barn, loving the wood structure that had been built with dedication and sweat equity so many decades earlier. We were always amazed by the beauty of this wood structure, and so 63 years after the barn was built, in a moment of revelation or insanity as some first thought, we set forth with a vision and a willing bank to turn this wood marvel into our home.
The project began in 2000 and with the help of family and friends, and a contractor who could share our vision, “the family project” as my kids lovingly and sometimes not so lovingly called it, was completed enough for us to move in June, 2001. The barn was something of beauty before we began the renovation…but the magnificence of the stone fireplace, the stunning stained glass windows, the large barn beams, and so many other unique touches that were added to what was already there, made the final creation something very special. From June, 2001 we lived in this special home with our children and my mother, Mary, who shared our home with us. She went to Heaven in June, 2005(pretty safe bet on that!) and as our children started to move out, the thought came to us to share what we loved so much with others. We had already opened our home for friends to share for their special occasions, and so it seemed only natural to share this beautiful Barn House so other’s too, could experience the incredible gift of the country…inside and out…and discover that heaven and earth truly do meet at The Barn House.
barn house country retreat
13531 gun club rd
epworth, ia 52045
facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Barn-House-Country-Retreat-Guest-House/159477457405624
website: www.countrybarnhouse.com
tel: 563-876-3337
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