Let us share our space with you!
Our unique site is one your guests will remember! We accommodate groups large or small, with modern amenities and wheelchair accessibility.
Our location is easy to find, with hotels, campgrounds and restaurants as little as a mile away!
Our parking lot is mostly gravel, with some paved spaces along the sidewalk. There is plenty of space for RV’s, trucks with trailers, buses, etc. The grassy area surrounding the lot to the east may be used for event parking. Our location directly off Hwy 81 makes us easy to find for out-of-town guests, and our gravel driveway allows for farm equipment and modern vehicles to make their way onto the farm. Vehicles have access to the west door of the church, or the east or north doors of the barn to load or unload. During large events, we may have someone directing cars for you.
When you book an event at the farm, you have access to many of the buildings on the property. Most commonly used are the church, barn, house and restroom building. The others may be used for photos or open for your guests to explore. Please ask about access to buildings when making your plans- availability is seasonal for some of them!
Most of our buildings are wheelchair accessible, with wide sidewalks connecting the schoolhouse, church, equipment buildings, office and gift shop, restroom building, barn and house. Wheelchairs and scooters or guests with walkers are usually able to reach the granary, Model T garage, tank house and windmill, poultry house, outhouse and cob house, as they are located along the gravel driveway or barnyard, which is fairly level and free of obstacles.
Modern restrooms may be found in the church, house, and restroom building.
The post and beam barn: From a farm near Surprise, NE., this is the focal point of the farm. On the east side, most of the stall walls are still intact; one of these stalls is often used for the bar, photo booth, or storage, etc. On the opposite side, stall walls are removed and this area is often used for the buffet and/or tables. The center room is often used for seating, a dance floor, games, etc. The loft area may be set up with décor to be viewed from the main level but is not available for public use. There are many tools, tack and other things on display- hanging from the walls, rafters or on the loft floor. There are electrical outlets accessible from all areas of the barn. The floor is a concrete floor. There is one large door that opens the main room onto a concrete pad with a permanent tent with a white tent cover on the south side of the barn. There is no HVAC. With several doors to open, it is a nice cool place to be in the summer time! The barn is not available during winter months. Our miniature barn animals may be in their coral to the west of the barn from April through October! Outdoor ceremonies often take place on the north side of the barn. Additional tents may be rented and put up on the lawn around the barn. The main room in the barn is 23’ x 29’, the east side is 14’ x 39’, with four posts down the center. The permanent tent on the concrete pad is 18’ x 30’.
1905 church: This was previously the Zion Lutheran Church of Thayer, NE. It is air conditioned and heated. The sanctuary seats up to 120 people. The restroom is located just inside the entrance to the church. The 1914 George Kilgen tracker organ may be used, as well as the piano. There is a PA system which plays your CDs, selections from your iPod, etc. or the microphone may be used. The balcony is not available for public seating; your organist, photographer/videographer may have access, but it is not seating room for guests. The lower level of the church is carpeted with a laminate floor on one end, has a lot of natural light from the windows that line the north and south walls, and a catering kitchen. Sound from the PA system upstairs may be heard through the speakers in the lower level. This room is often used for meetings or smaller gatherings- rehearsal dinners, family reunion meals, overflow of wedding guests and other activities. This room may also be used by the bridal party prior to a wedding. The church has a wheelchair lift (small elevator) to help your guests get from the sanctuary level to the lower level. There are stairs on each end of the building for access to the lower level as well. Outside, there is a wheelchair ramp to help guests to the main entrance. Electrical outlets are available in every area of the church. There is a place for hanging coats in the entrance area just outside of the sanctuary. Wi-fi in the church is currently being updated. Ask about the status of this when planning your event!
Dave’s house, originally located in York, is set up as a 1925 farmhouse with every room furnished. The house is air conditioned and heated. There is a wheelchair ramp to help guests onto the front porch, however, there is not wheelchair access to the 2nd floor. The basement is where the office is currently located; there is no public space in the basement. Photos are often taken in the house. Also, very small parties or gatherings may use the house outside of open hours. The kitchen is available for use (sink, wood stove, small table and a variety of kitchen items), with limited space in a refrigerator located in the basement that we can help you with. There is a single restroom on the main level, with a changing table. The front porch of the house is often used for outdoor ceremonies with guests seated on the lawn, or as an outdoor gathering place for small groups. The upper balcony is not available for public use, other than your photographer/ videographer.
The outdoor spaces at the farm allow for a lot of creativity! We’ve held ceremonies and other events outside the barn, on the front porch and lawn of the house, in the hay field… if you see a spot you like, it’s probably available! We have wooden benches that work well for outdoor events, or you may rent the popular white chairs or other things. Straw bales, quilts, picnic tables, wooden spools… so many options when decorating outside!
The restroom building is located just south of the barn, connected by a sidewalk. The men’s restroom has one stall and two urinals. The women’s restroom has three stalls with a small dresser which may be used as a changing table or to put a basket of things for your guests. There is a third room with a long counter top and mirror which is often used by the bridal party, event storage, or for parents with young children, etc. This building is air conditioned and heated, with automatic lights.
