Our address is 811 Lipscomb Grove Church Rd., 27278. There are two mailboxes at the head of our gravel road. Follow the gravel road ALL the way to its end (past another house), and park alongside the driveway.

Please do not park on the grass or block access to the loop/turnaround.

Max speed on the driveway is 10mph.

The key lock box is to the right of the front door. The code is 8-1-0. Please keep the key in the lock box at ALL times.

Network: downyonder
Password: downyonder

The downstairs thermostat is located in the TV room between the wall-mounted book shelves. The upstairs thermostat is located in the hallway just past the library.

Help us save energy! Old farmhouses are very expensive to heat and cool. PLEASE close all windows and doors any time the heat or AC is running. If you’ll be out of the house for a while, please adjust the heat or AC to save energy.

We use Apple TV for streaming and you’re welcome to use any of our apps. Please make sure to sign in as “Guest” rather than use our profiles. 

You can use our record player located in the wood stove room, or connect to the TV room speakers using either the Sonos app or Apple AirPlay. Above the record player is a bluetooth speaker; please don’t remove it from the house.

The hot tub is closed for the season and will reopen October 1st.

There is a dispenser for drinking water in the dining room (though our well water is safe for all uses). Place empty jugs on the front porch for pickup. If a water delivery is made during your stay, please bring the jugs inside within a day, or reach out if you need assistance. Be mindful of water use; space out baths and showers so as not to overdraw our well.

Place bagged trash in the bin by the back porch steps and secure the lid. Place rinsed recycling in the orange bin. There is a black compost bucket for food scraps.

Longer-term guests: Jessie will be in touch to discuss plans to bring trash and recycling up the driveway for weekly pickup.

KITCHEN:

• Run the dishwasher on “PowerWash”; it is getting old and tired.

• NO wooden or wood-handled objects in the dishwasher, or soaking in the sink. Wash and dry right away.

• Please wipe down the wood countertops after every use to prevent water damage.

• Don’t leave food out overnight, and please make sure to keep the surfaces and sink clean to avoid pests and rodents.

• The microwave locks after use - there is a small “unlock” button you must press to open.

• Make sure the fridge door is fully closed, especially after opening and closing the freezer.

BATHROOMS:

• Only flush waste and toilet paper. No flushable wipes, etc.

• Be mindful of water usage to avoid overdrawing the well.

• Wipe down wood countertops after every use to avoid water damage.

• Please use the black washcloths for makeup removal. Don’t remove white towels from the house. There are dark towels in the upstairs bathroom for hot tub or pond use.

OTHER ACTIVITIES DURING YOUR STAY:

• I (Jessie) will be out regularly to mow the grass, depending on the season, and check the barn. Occasionally a neighbor may come to help with yard work.

• I and/or my assistant will be out occasionally for various farm maintenance or organizing. I occasionally spend time working in my office, which is attached to the garage. I won’t need access to the house or to bother you, but I’m always happy to say hey if you’re around!

• We are currently renovating a cottage for a future farmer/caretaker. It’s not visible from the house. Workers will be coming and going during construction.

• Once a month, a fiber spinning group meets in our Music Hall at the edge of the property. They will park down by the Music Hall and use the attached bathroom there.

• On occasion one of our longtime country neighbors may ride up the road to say hello and check on things, as is the rural way.

OTHER NOTES:

• Our generator runs automatically every Wednesday for about 20 minutes for maintenance.

Check out time is 10am. If you need a late check-out, prior confirmation is required. Before you leave:

• Please leave us a note in our guest book! We love reading them.

• Return any items and/or furniture you’ve moved to their original locations.

• Leave sheets piled on the bed so we may inspect them and stain treat if needed.

• Place excess trash or recycling in the bins by the back porch stairs, and make sure the trash lid is secure.

• Please load dirty dishes and start the dishwasher. Make sure no food is left on counters or in the sink to avoid attracting pests.

• Set thermostats to 80 (if using AC), and 65 (if using heat).

• Lock all three exterior doors behind you and double check that the key is in the porch lock box.

• Text Jessie at 919-381-7707 to confirm your departure.

Call 911 in the event of emergency.

Other contacts:
Jessie Gladdek: 919-381-7707
Matt Gladdek: 919-381-7577
Susan Gladin: 919-452-8870

Land line: 984-253-1692
*Does not receive voicemails

Note: Tell responders that access is from Lipscomb Grove Ch. Rd., NOT Copper Creek Place, and that the house is all the way down the driveway.

If there is a power outage, you may see utility trucks come down the driveway or from the back woods, as they access some lines from our property.

House rules:

• There may be no other guests on the premises other than the number of people specified in your confirmed booking at ANY time, unless prior arrangements have been made in writing.

• Max speed of 10mph on the driveway

• Park off to the side of the driveway, and do not pull fully onto the grass. Do not block the driveway loop for other vehicles and deliveries.

• Please don’t move furniture or items in the house.

• No pets

• No commercial photography or filming

• No parties or events

• No loud music

• No outdoor amplified music, including bluetooth speakers, after 10pm

• No smoking in the house or on the front and back porches.

• Children must be attended by an adult at all times

• Check-in after 4:00 PM

• Checkout before 10:00 AM

Accessible areas: During your stay we invite you to enjoy exclusive use of the house, the front and back porches, the hot tub, and the outdoor shower. Guests are also welcome to use the trampoline, the “shady grove”, the path to the pond, and the dock; these spaces may be shared by others during specific events or separate rentals on the farm. Ask Jessie whether any other events will occur during your stay.

Off-limits areas: Please do not enter any outbuildings, storage areas/shelters, sheds, unmarked trails, fenced pastures, or barns without written permission. Do not touch any tools or farm equipment. Contact Jessie with any questions.

Common risks: Being on a farm property naturally comes with risks, so please take care during your visit. Some common risks of being on a property like ours include (but are not limited to):

• Tall grassy areas that may contain snakes and/or biting insects

• Splinters from weathered wood boards

• Slippery surfaces

• Bee and wasp stings

• Tick bites

• Poison ivy

• Uneven ground, roots, or holes around the property

• Drowning risk in or around pond

• Falling branches and tree limbs

The wood stove is currently out of use for the season.

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First, safety:

1. Guests assume all risks involved with the wood stove.

2. If you have any issues or are getting too much smoke in the house, stop immediately and call Jessie at 919-381-7707 to troubleshoot.

3. Never touch any part of the wood stove with bare hands.

4. Never place anything on top of the wood stove.

5. Never leave the room while the door isn’t fully closed.

6. Keep anything flammable away from the stove.

7. Do not use if you are with young children who shouldn’t be trusted not to touch or play too close.

How to operate the wood stove:

1. Make sure that a) the lever on the right side of the stove (the flue), just behind the door, is pointed up and back, towards the chimney, and b) the brass handle on the front of the stove is rotated ALL the way clockwise.

2. If starting with a cold stove, place a lit candle inside the stove with the door closed for 10 minutes. This removes air blocks in the chimney that can cause smoke to come into the house.

3. Build your firewood setup before lighting, as smoke comes into the house very easily with the door open. Use 1-2 pieces of treated kindling to start. Once you light your kindling, close the door and leave cracked about 1” until the fire is strong. Do not leave the room while the door isn’t fully closed. If you need to open the door to adjust your wood or add kindling, do it quickly to avoid smoke coming in.

4. Once you have some steady flames, close the door securely and keep the flue (back lever) in an open position. 

5. When the temperature is at least 300 degrees, close the flue almost all the way, and then use an oven mitt to rotate the brass handle on the front fully counter-clockwise, so that it’s parallel to the floor. This engages the catalytic converter and makes your firewood burn more efficiently.

   NOTE: Any time you open the door, even for a second, you must turn the brass handle back clockwise. Otherwise the room will fill with smoke. You can leave the catalytic converter engaged as the fire cools down overnight, but turn it off before building a new fire.