How does a whole ranch run on solar and geothermal?
A solar array on the hillside carries the electricity. A geothermal loop at the bottom of the pond carries the heat. The only utility bill of 2026 was $50, for both residences.
What happens when there is no television?
The first evening is restless. By the second one nobody has picked up a phone in an hour. That is the whole reason we built it this way.
What is a Scottish Highland beef ranch?
A working cattle operation raising grassfed Scottish Highlands. The guest rooms came second, and the herd was here first.
Is a working ranch a good place to bring kids?
Yes, and the fishing usually does the heavy lifting. There are Highland cattle in the pasture and stocked ponds.
Can we rent the whole house?
Yes. All three rooms together are $375 a night, 940 square feet, sleeping ten.
What is there for couples on a ranch?
Quiet, a hot tub under an open sky, a fire by the water, and no television anywhere near you.
Can you get close to the Highland cattle?
Yes. They graze the pasture you walk through, and most mornings they will come to the fence on their own.
How many people can stay here?
Ten comfortably across three rooms, or eleven with the twin bed in the West Wing.
How far is the ranch from Kansas City and St. Joseph?
About 45 minutes north of Kansas City and 15 minutes from St. Joseph, at 6777 Monroe Rd SE in Agency, Missouri.
What does off-grid actually mean here?
It means the sun and the ground do the work. There is no gas line to this property, and the electric meter runs on a net metering plan.