Stay at Villekulla Farm

Chicken Coop Artist In Residency Applications for summer 2024 closed.

The Mouse House

You will be sharing the house and property with host Trudie Teijink and her yellow lab Pippi and cat Anika. Other family members and friends might come over to stay as well. The over 120-years-old farmhouse is being renovated with a DIY approach. This means that some spaces are unfinished and look messy but are clean. The guest bedrooms, communal kitchen and bathroom are completed!

Smoking or vaping inside the house or close to the house is prohibited. Fire hazards such as candles, incense, and the heating of essential oils using a flame are discouraged. In case of fire-danger-weather conditions (such as Fire Weather Watch or Red Flag Warnings), outdoor smoking and open fires are strictly prohibited.

The house has fully functioning heating and air conditioning systems for both floors to keep you comfortable. We ask residents not to change the settings. Villekulla Farm has satellite internet, which works well, but is most likely slower than what you are used to. Please refrain from streaming for multiple hours per day. When the weather is very cloudy or stormy, WIFI may be compromised. In rare occasions these weather conditions may cause a power outage, which usually lasts only for a couple of hours.

Living in Nebraska also means occasional tornado warnings and tornado watches. Shelter must be taken in the basement during such occurrences. Cellphone reception is spotty but is best at the barn!

Arrival and departure: AIR residents are asked to arrive according to the agreed date and times and depart in a similar manner. Residents must leave their studios place(s) and bedroom tidy and clean. We recycle as much as possible, so sort your recycling as instructed.

Guest Bedrooms

Each resident has their own private newly renovated bedroom. Two bedrooms have a queen sized bed with new medium firm mattresses and a walk-in closet for your luggage and clothes. Our largest guest bedroom has a twin size bed and a closet as well. All bedrooms have a desk and chair. We provide clean bed linens.

The bedrooms are upstairs and you will have to be able climb up and down a steep flight of stairs. For your convenience, an air purifier keeps your air clean. In order to keep the rooms allergy friendly, no pets are allowed in the rooms. We ask residents to observe quiet hours between 10PM and 7AM. The house is not soundproof, and sounds carry far. Please be considerate with noise production.

Shared Spaces

The kitchen, living room, mudroom and bathroom are all shared spaces. We ask you to keep things tidy and to clean up after yourself. Villekulla Farm provides breakfast, lunch and dinner. Residents are asked to help with preparing and cleaning afterwards. Please notify us with dietary restrictions or/and food allergies. Lemon water and ice tea is offered daily. Orange juice, milk, tea and coffee are complimentary. Our kitchen is a fully functioning kitchen. Each resident will get some cupboard space to store personal food items. The refrigerator is shared with everyone, so label your items. Groceries can be purchased at local stores and at farmer’s markets. If the garden has vegetables that are ready to be eaten, then those can be used as well. Local restaurants are available as well.

Please don’t feed the cat or the dog. We do not want them to learn begging behaviors! The cat is indoor only. Do not let her outside.

Bathroom use: please be considerate to your fellow residents and don’t shower longer than 15 minutes. This way the water heater has ample time to warm up water for the next person. Please use bath slippers to help maintain sanitary conditions. As always, clean up after yourself. We provide two sets of towels for the week.

We use a septic tank at the acreage, and this means nothing other than your natural waste and the toilet paper provided can be flushed. No feminine products, no wet towels, no other items, even if they are designated as “septic safe”. Please be careful with what you flush down the drain as well: no antibacterial products, no harsh chemicals, and no solid wastes. There is no disposal in the sink to break down solid waste such as food scraps, so please help us keep the plumbing clear and the septic tank and its drain field water waste system working well. At this time we have no washing machine or dryer. Norfolk has a great laundromat.

Please feel free to hang out in the living area and relax! We don’t have a television, but we do have a laptop available. Just ask. There are some books to browse and board games to play as well.

The mudroom: in this area you can hang your coats and leave your shoes. We recommend bringing some comfy inside slippers.

Upon acceptance Chicken Coop Artist-in-Residents are required to sign the Artist-in-Residence Agreement & Liability Release before the start of your stay. Your spot will be guaranteed after you signed and paid the $250 reimbursement in full. Please provide emergency contact information including a phone number before the start of your stay as well. Villekulla Farm will adhere to CDC protocol and encourages current COVID19 vaccinations for all AIR residents. We also recommended having an up-to-date tetanus vaccination. On the property, previous tenants left metal objects that rusted over time.