Donkeytown at Turner Farms Indiana's Premier Farmstay - Lake Monroe

Indiana’s premier multi-generational destination! Something for everyone. Escape away from normal to farm country where you have your own farm and stay in newly renovated rustic barndominiums on an active 40 acre farm of Mediterranean Miniature Donkeys, the most lovable creatures on the planet, not open to the public only to guests. Designed with a large family reunion in mind, you'll have four of your own barn buildings with 7 bedrooms, 14 beds, 5.5 bathrooms plus game room featuring twins and bunks. You'll also have your own 900 sq ft tea room to congregate with family and friends, and two kitchens including a large kitchen in the Tea Room where your group can cook their meals and enjoy camaraderie. We can now accommodate conferences for up to 30 people with meeting space and sleeping accommodations call or email us for large group accommodation pricing. At an additional cost, if you just need a few more bedrooms we have: The Farmhouse, a 3 br, 2 bth wing of the original 1884 farmhouse see listing #2710662 This price includes over 6,000 sq ft in three buildings so your family will have plenty of room to spread out. Building 1 consists of 4 large king bedrooms, 3 baths, game room with 2 sets of bunk beds and pull out sofa. We have a poker table, card table, air hockey, corn hole game, chess and checkers in the game room. In the Kitchen and living room area, you'll enjoy the garage door opening up to an outdoor bar overlooking the orchard. Large sectional sofa and big screen smart TV. Building 2 is a 2 bedroom, full bath barndominium with two king beds, a queen bed and a set of bunk beds with full on bottom. Also a sectional sofa in living room with smart tv and kitchenette. Building 3 is a 900 sq ft Tea Room and kitchen where the whole family can have dinner or play games together. Building3 also has the bunkhouse with a king bed, 3 twins and a bunkbed. You'll have a large blacktop area between the barns for outdoor activities and a basketball goal as well as 40 acres to hike and picnic on. Bring your fishing poles, both ponds are fully stocked or just enjoy sitting on the pier while drinking a cup of coffee or watching the sunset. We are proud to be a breeder of Mediterranean Miniature Donkeys touted as the "most lovable animals on the planet." You can have as much or as little interaction with them as you desire. Feel free to hang out in barns/pastures with them, each day we close the gates and let a few free range on the farm. They'll be glad to hang out with you on your patio, are very social and want lots of hugs and kisses. You'll be able to say you "kissed ass at Donkeytown" when you leave. In addition, we have two free range goats, Willie and Waylon, that will greet you daily. If you see some big hairy creatures those are the miniature horses, not quite as social as donkeys but very gentle. Getting Here If you use google maps, 3522 Pleasant Run Road, Heltonville should bring you here. If you are coming from the northeast or southeast it is probably best to go 65 to 50 west. If you are coming from the northwest or southwest it is probably better to take 37 to 58 east. If you go through Bloomington, it is best to come down 446 across Lake Monroe Causeway. We have a small neighborhood general store that carries the basics but if you need to buy groceries it is best to stop at Jay C’s in Brownstown or Bedford, or Kroger in Bloomington depending on what direction you are coming from. You will see black/wood fencing, please come in the farm stay entrance with the Donkeytown sign, to enter the gate, just push the garage door opener. You will come down Donkey Drive and turn left on Ass Avenue. There you will see the barndominiums. The black one with brown shutters, Rustic Roost, is large/main barn, then the white one with green shutters is the second one, the cottage. All barns are unlocked, we are in the country and don’t lock doors or use blinds here, welcome to the country! Farm Once you get settled-in we can show you around the farm, how to open gates, where alfalfa treats are. The donkeys love to be petted especially inside their ears but they have to get to know you first so move on them slowly it will only take a few minutes. They love to be brushed and each of the pastures have brushes you can use. We can let a few out each day to free range with you. No running or chasing donkeys or screaming at them, they are very calm animals and running toward them will scare them away. You are welcome to enter any pasture/barn to see them, just please make sure gates are closed. We will keep front gates closed so if some do get out it is no big deal. However, we do have two jacks and some of our donkeys are male geldings and young females that can’t be with jacks. So don’t let any donkeys out yourself without our permission. At night we bring the baby foals in the back barn. Feel free to go through the white double doors in there to see them at night or first thing in morning. We have four kayaks for your use plus a rowboat to get out in the pond or you may put them on our trailer and take them to Lake Monroe. We have an 11 passenger van you could use and a pass to get in all he state parks and reservoirs. There are 40 acres here, feel free to roam all of it. The back 20 acres is a nature lovers dream! We’ve been clearing the woods in the very back to make for a great picnic area in the shade. We also have a large tree down that makes a good natural jungle gym for kids. You will see steep hills, more beautiful pastures, a spring fed creek, a second larger pond, geode field and maybe a creepy doll graveyard. (This used to be Turner Doll Factory for 34 years) Feel free to take a picnic lunch or a bottle of wine and hang out back there. If you prefer primitive camping feel free to bring a tent and sleep in the back woods for a night. The ponds are fenced off and well stocked, feel free to fish all day and have a fish fry at night. We do have a couple fishing poles on site if you don’t have one and a fish cleaning table with water. We have chairs/benches throughout the pastures and near barns with great views. If you hang out there with some carrots the donkeys are likely to find you. But not too many they will get the runs :/. You are coming to a farm so you’ll want to bring clothes you can get dirty in and boots, comfortable shoes. No open toed shoes around donkeys. Many folks have brought rain gear and stayed out during rain to fish or play. You’re in the country you can do what you want. Our neighbor has a cattle farm you do want to stay out of the cattle farm, there is a bull that might chase you but they are a joy to watch from our farm! Games So far we have set up corn hole inside the game room but you are welcome to move it outside on nice days, poker/game table with poker set, several board games, basketball goal, footballs, soccer balls with plenty of room to play. We also have a volleyball/badminton net and horseshoes. Large families can play an old-fashioned game of football in the pastures/fields. Feel free to bring your own outdoor activities there is plenty of room. Kitchens There are two kitchens, one in tea room and one in large barn Rustic Roost. Feel free to use either of them and rob pots and pans from either one. The smaller Cottage Creek barn has a kitchenette with a set of pots and pans, one burner, microwave, coffee pot etc. We have four coffee makers throughout, plenty of dishes, crockpots, electric griddles, three refrigerators, one chest freezer in tea room. Light for kitchen in tea room is actually in the dishwashing room on wall adjoining kitchen. We have a wood fire pit with a grill on top that makes for great cooking, and a weber charcoal grill. We do provide charcoal and wood for your fires. There is a chest style freezer in the tea room if needed for extra ice, ice cream etc…Being able to cook for your friends and family helps make this a very affordable vacation. Check Out Please take all used sheets and pillowcases off beds and leave in room, hang towels on hooks to dry in bathroom, please start dishwasher before you leave and put furniture back in its place if moved. Take out all trash to dumpster behind Rustic Roost. We’ll leave donkeys in on check out day you may open back service gate so everyone can go through there. Trash There is a convenient dumpster behind the black barn. Please put all trash in there, should be new trash bags at the bottom of each trash can. Food There is a small general store within a couple of minutes you can buy most any of the basics, beer is sold there but no wine or alcohol. For pizza we recommend Farmers Market 8 minutes away on hwy 50, large supreme pizzas are only $15, lunch they have cheeseburgers, tenderloins and chicken strips, breakfast is biscuits and gravy, bacon, breakfast sandwiches. My favorite restaurant is Truffles on east side of Bloomington, high end culinary and drinks. For a closer nice dinner out we recommend Scenic View north on 446 near Lake Monroe (they also have a wonderful brunch) or Limestone Café in Bedford for breakfast and lunch. For bars we recommend Court Room Sports Grill in Bedford (great canjun) or Mammas and Pappas in Bedford. For Chinese carryout, 99 Restaurant, Bedford. Chefs Chef Paul comes to us from the Chicago Culinary Institute and offers gourmet dinners. With the chefs you will work with them to choose your menu and pricing. Dinners can be prepared and eaten in the Tea Room. Chef Paul – 765-318-8519 Adam Thomas – barbeque and chuckwagon – 812-583-7818 Taco Truck – 812-219-8997