NW Missouri Family Farm "Home--Away from Home"

Life-long Road Trippers Details: Hello from the "Missouri Birds", hosts to more than 100 Harvest Hosts or Boondockers Welcome guests. Ken is a retired over-the-road truck owner/operator and Robin, a retired NW Missouri Mom/Teacher/Farmer raising corn, soybeans, hogs and kids---not necessarily in that order. Robin also worked as an ag consultant in Ukraine, an advertising and marketing specialist in New York and spent 10 years teaching 5th and 6th grade Social Studies in Missouri. Today, we live on our Historic Family Farm located on "Connell Hill" east of St. Joseph and north of Kansas City, Missouri. Both of us are history buffs and when not "Road-Tripping" or hosting guests we keep busy with a large vegetable and flower garden, sharing good food and good times with friends and neighbors, and participating in church activities. We have 9 living children and 50+ grand and great-grand-children in our blended family. We love exploring our beautiful country and we sincerely look forward to hosting guests here on the farm, learning about their travels and life experiences and gathering new ideas for places we need to add to our "bucket list". We have visited 49 states including two road-trips to Alaska and most of Canada. Each year we look forward to hosting visitors and sharing tips for things to see and do all across North America. Home Town: We both grew up on Missouri farms, Ken in Central Missouri and Robin, here on "Connell Hill". Our home was not quite completed when Robin's family bought the farm in 1892. It has remained in the family ever since and we are proud to call it home. "Connell Hill" is about 25 miles East of St. Joseph, MO, home to Jesse James and the Pony Express and about 55 miles North of Kansas City and Independence, MO. U.S. Highway 36, formally called the "Peak to Peak Highway" and originally called the "Hound Dog Trail", first came through our family farm in the mid 1800's. The ruts from that original stagecoach trail can still be seen along the south side of our yard and garden. Robin remembers feeding cattle on the old road just west of our house with her Dad using a horse-drawn wagon during mud season! The first full-time resident of DeKalb County built a one-room log cabin for his family where our house now stands and traded with the Native Americans who had a camp just a mile west of our farm. The Pony Express started in St. Joseph and during that same time period St. Joseph Missouri was one of the primary "Jumping off points" for the pioneers headed out on the Oregon and California Trails. Historians tell us that during the busiest portion of the Wagon Train days, the line of wagons waiting to take the ferry across the Missouri River in St. Joseph would often back up all the way to our farm! So, we welcome you to the area where the west begins. Favorite Boondocking Locations: We primarily stay in small town parks or public campgrounds, including Corps of Engineer parks and an occasional Fairgrounds, where electricity is available for Ken's CPAP machine. We have also had great experiences staying with Boondockers Welcome hosts in several different states. Skills or Expertise to Share: Ken is excellent at providing driving directions/tips for almost anywhere, as he spent his entire life as an over-the-road truck driver. Robin has 50+ years experience in planning travel adventures throughout North America. She has extensive knowledge of US history, geography and roadside sites. Both love to share their experiences while staying in all types of campgrounds and visiting unique places throughout Canada and in every state except Hawaii .