Iowa is considered the Heartland of America. Zoom in a little closer, to the southeast corner where the Iowa, Illinois and Missouri borders meet, and you will find Camp Doug(h). Previously known to Doug’s friends as Camp Doug, the (h) was added when Beth moved as a nod to her baking.
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| Beth Howard and Doug Seyb |
Camp Doug(h) is part of a 1,000-acre Century Farm, owned and operated by the Seyb Family for over 100 years. It is a fully operational working farm with corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, cattle, and pigs. Here, they still do many things the old-fashioned way, like baling hay into square bales and stacking them in the barn loft. There are planted fields of crops that grow taller than your head in rich, black soil. There are forests of cedar, maple, oak, hedge, and birch. There are ponds and creeks noisy with croaking frogs, pastures filled with cows peacefully grazing, and skies, free from light pollution, so black at night it’s easy to see shooting stars—and hear hooting owls. Iowa is understatedly picturesque and it’s not all flat! The landscape and its gently rolling hills are what inspired Grant Wood’s famous works of art.
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| Sleep in a 100-year-old farmhouse! |
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| Cuddle baby pigs! |
Come see for yourself during a farm immersion hosted by farmer Doug Seyb and author Beth Howard.
There are two farmhouses on the property with accommodations, including 2 guest rooms in Doug and Beth’s house and a bunkhouse-style set up in what was Doug’s parents’ house.
To give you the best, most immersive experience, we are starting out with only 4 participants per session, though we can go up to 8 in the future.
All meals are provided—including wine, whisky, coffee and espresso drinks—except for the 2 nights we go out for dinner. (Our local spots are cheap and casual. You’d be amazed at how far $10 will go!) While our growing season is too short to do 100% farm to table, the food we prepare will include as many ingredients from the farm as possible.
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| Eat farm-to-table meals outdoors by candlelight! |
Spots are limited, so reserve yours now.
Contact us.
CLASSES
Pie (taught by Beth, for fruit and cream pies)
Quilting (make your own pillow cover)
Artisan bread making (make rustic-style crusty wholegrain bread)
Rug weaving (make your own hand-woven rug)
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| Do goat yoga! |
EXERCISE AND ACTIVITIES
Hiking in Shimek Forest and other nearby reserves
Kayaking and canoeing on Des Moines River and Skunk
River (weather permitting)
Yoga (Here’s your chance to try goat yoga! Or piglet yoga!)
Biking (mountain bikes and beach cruisers available)
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| Go canoeing! |
Swim in the ponds
Writing/Journaling
Walks around the farm fields and trails
Wildflower walk (April—June)
Mushroom picking (April)
Arrowhead and artifact hunting
Fishing
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| Dive into the pond! |
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| Feed the goats! |
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| Sit by the fire! |
FARM EXPERIENCES
Cuddle with baby pigs
Tour the farm on a side-by-side (think 4WD golf cart)
Feed the cows
Ride on a tractor or combine
Feed the goats
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| Ride a bike and pick rhubarb for pie! |
FARM TO TABLE MEALS (*must love meat!)
Pork chops
T-bone steaks
Hamburgers
Sausage
Bacon
Farm fresh eggs (from our neighbors)
Fish (blue gill from our ponds)
Garden produce (when in season, canned when not)
Homemade bread
Homemade pie
S’mores around the bonfire
SHOPPING AND SIGHTSEEING
Visit to the American Gothic House (have your photo taken in costumes in front of the house featured in Grant Wood’s iconic painting)
Drive through the Villages of Van Buren County (bucolic scenery in authentic, non-touristy Amish country)
Shop at the Dutchman’s Store (an old-fashioned general store run by Mennonites)
Taste cheese at Milton Creamery (a small cheese factory run by Mennonites)
Eat at a rural tavern and eat a plate-size pork tenderloin sandwich (an Iowa specialty)
Watch the barges go through the locks on the Mississippi River (in winter, watch bald eagles fishing)
Listen to live Americana folk music (we have a variety of rural venues)
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| Help herd cattle! |
FURTHER AFIELD
Hannibal, Missouri (visit Mark Twain’s birthplace)
Saint Louis, Missouri (The Arch, good BBQ, and major league baseball)
Fairfield, Iowa (Home of Transcendental Meditation/Maharishi University)
Iowa City, Iowa (UNESCO City of Literature)
OUR CLOSEST AIRPORTS
Cedar Rapids, Iowa (CID) – 1-1/2 hours
Moline, Illinois (MLI) – 2 hours
Des Moines, Iowa (DSM) – 2-1/2 hours
St. Louis, Missouri (STL) – 3 hours
For more details and to book your stay, contact us here.
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| Ride on the side-by-side and swim in the pond! |