217 Walters Way, Richfield Springs, NY 13439

''I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.'' -- John Burroughs Tucked-Away Farmhouse Estate on 16+ Acres Near Richfield Springs, NY At the end of a long, private driveway -- winding past open fields and through two farm gates -- this 16.43-acre property unfolds around you, framed by farmland and long-range views that stretch to nearby Canadarago Lake.

The public access boat ramp and beach is just down the road less than a mile away. Extensively landscaped with stone-walled outdoor rooms created from an old foundation, and a large, spring-fed pond stocked with bass give the grounds a storybook, tucked-away character, while sweeping lawns and mature plantings soften the approach to the house.

Inside, the home offers five bedrooms and three bathrooms across a floor plan that evolved as the needs of previous owners change.Strategically located skylights draw natural light over wide-plank floors and exposed beams. The eat-in kitchen opens to a breakfast room and a cathedral-ceilinged family room with its own fireplace, and porches and decks extend the living space outdoors.

An enclosed three season room with lake views rounds out the plan. The home is ready for a new owner's vision. Beyond the house, a detached building adds real flexibility -- with its own plumbing and electric, parking for two vehicles, and storage below, it's ready to become a studio, home office, or apartment.

A large potting shed, a screen house, and additional outbuildings sit discreetly across the grounds, and a stone-and-gravel turnaround offers parking for four vehicles near the main residence. What defines this estate is its privacy, its quiet, and its sense of complete escape -- farmland, water, and long-distance views, just minutes from shopping and about 20 minutes to Bassett Medical and everything Cooperstown has to offer.