Location and Lodging

The Zieke farm sits in Crooked Creek Township in southeastern Minnesota, close to the Mississippi River valley. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and it is also very remote. The Driftless Area is named for the lack of glacier drift that went through in the last ice age. This is the only part of the Midwest where you'll find bluffs like this!

This is Ho-Chunk land, ceded in the 1852 treaty. The land was homesteaded in the 1860s and used as a sheep and cattle farm until 1973, when Charlie's dad moved in to the grain silo and called it a home.

The closest small town is Caledonia, MN (15 minutes away) and the closest "city" is La Crosse, WI (45 minutes away).

Whether you're just coming for the day or planning to camp all weekend, expect spotty cell reception, gravel roads, and parking in fields. Bring what you need with you, wear shoes you can walk in, and dress for the weather. We'll have plenty of supplies on hand, but there are definitely no Erewhons within walking distance.

BY PLANE:

Most guests will fly into Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP), which has the widest variety of flights and usually the best prices. From MSP, it’s about a 3 hour drive south to the farm.
La Crosse, WI's airport (LSE) is closer (about 45 minutes away) but flights are more expensive and require a small plane connection from Chicago.
Other airport options could include Madison, WI (3 hour drive) or Chicago, IL (4.5 hour drive).

Once you land, rent a car or carpool. If you’re interested in carpooling, mark that on your RSVP form and we’ll try to match you with other guests heading the same direction.

BY TRAIN:

There are two trains that run from Minneapolis/St. Paul to La Crosse, WI each day.

The Empire Builder leaves at 8:50am daily and runs about $20 per person each way.
The Borealis departs at 11:50am daily and runs about $30 per person each way.

Both routes will take you right along the Mississippi and include some historical bridges. You can book these through Amtrak.com. Let us know on your RSVP form if you are taking the train and want to carpool from the depot.

BY CAR:

From Minneapolis:

The fastest route (at 2.5 hours) is 52 South to Rochester and 90 West to La Crosse.
The slightly longer (2hr 45 min), but far more scenic route is taking the Great River Road (Hwy 61) down the Mississippi where you can expect to see lots of eagles and get a feel for why this region is called the Driftless Area. Make a stop at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha!

We will send full driving instructions after you RSVP and we encourage you to print these or download them to your phone. The cell reception around the farm can be spotty, so make sure you know where you're going (and when you hit Houston County, look for the wooden heart signs pointing the way!).

CAMPING

If you’re interested in camping, we really encourage it! You'll have plenty of space to spread out; bring your best and brightest campsite ideas.

We'll have two fields open - one for social camping and one for quieter camping, with space for car or tent camping in both.
Just a few of the luxury amenities of our 62 acre campground:
- Covered kitchen area with picnic table and coolers
- Generator-powered shower station (Charlie's dad has a vision)
- The nicest portapotties in Houston County
- Friday night dinner, Saturday night dinner, Sunday morning breakfast
- Free parking (WOW!)
What to bring with you to summer camp:
- Tent/car camping setup
- Anything you'll need to sleep in a brome grass field for a couple nights (sleeping pads, headlights, etc)
- This is a BYOB event - bring your own drinks, snacks, and any other edibles you'd like to have on hand.

Make sure to let us know on your RSVP form if you're planning to camp and we will send you additional information as we get closer!

HOTELS

For those staying off-site, we’ve reserved a block of rooms at the Hampton Inn in La Crosse, WI, about forty-five minutes away (click here to book).

If the block is full or you'd rather something with more ~personality~:

La Crosse, WI has tons of options - chain hotels, historic hotels, even millennial boutique hotels.
Caledonia and La Crescent have some smaller hotels and plenty of farm stay AirBnbs (there's more than one opportunity to stay in a grainbin).

All three of the above towns have grocery stores.

There's plenty to do on the farm - walking through the woods, swimming or tubing in Crooked Creek, exploring the junkyards - but if you're looking to explore while you're in our neck of the woods, we recommend the below:

Little Miami (Freeburg, MN, 5 minutes from farm)
The only bar/restaurant in Freeburg, which does make it the best. They have great Grasshoppers, if you're into creme de menthe.
New Albin Meat Market (New Albin, IA, 20 min from farm)
Smokehouse open since 1882. The meat is great; don't talk about politics.
International Owl Center (Houston, MN, 30 min from farm)
The Owl Center rocks! Learn about raptors, sign up for an Owl Prowl, and buy the coolest owl shirt of your life.
Root River bike trail (runs from Houston, MN (30 min from farm) to Fountain, MN (1 hr from farm))
The Root River bike trail is 42 miles of limestone bluffs, historic bridges, and really good pie. There's plenty of camping and places to rent bikes along the way.
Fiberglass Graveyard (Sparta, WI, 1 hour from farm)
Imagine a field filled with every fiberglass mold you could imagine, from every time period and of every size. Highly recommend.
Bily Brother Clock Museum (Spillville, IA, 1 hour from farm)
Two bachelor Iowa brothers who spent all their winters drinking beer and hand-whittling ornate clocks. It's eccentric, it's Iowa as hell, and the woodcarving is remarkable.
House on the Rock (Spring Green, Wi, 2.5 hours from farm)
One of the best/worst places in America, depending on who you ask (if you ask Arielle, you gotta go. If you ask Charlie, maybe go once).