I wouldn't recommend a stained siding like this for the harsh Michigan winters. You would want to at least use a full-bodied stain (lots of pigment in it) to protect the wood, and that would obscure a lot of the wood grain and character. There are certainly paint schemes and wood pattern choices that you could make that could convey the feeling of a rustic barn without actually having unfinished wood. We were lucky that the Livermore, CA climate allows this treatment.

I have used a product called Clear Wood Finish (CWF) that comes in a clear, redwood, or driftwood stain colors to protect the western cedar on my home that has lasted 15 years before I put it on again. Be sure to put it on thick or have it sprayed on so that it seeps into the wood.

Hi crc11 - I don't know of any alternate material with this look for that sort of climate, but ptownsw commented above about a product you might want to look into.

Great. Thank you both.