From A Forest To A Farm

Construction of The Farm as it is today began in May of 2001.  The land had not been farmed for a number of years.  The clearing of the first 10 acres took about three years.  A road had to be built to access the area to be cleared.  Once the road was completed, all but a few select trees had to be removed. The land had to be made reasonably level.  Lime had to be added to the soil.  The soil had to be plowed to mix the lime and trash vegetation. The pasture area had to be disc harrowed, a field cultivator was used to make the pasture area smooth, a mixture of orchard grass and clover seeds was applied for the base grass, and once the grass began to sprout fertilizer was added.  Other pastures and buildings had to be built.  The construction of The Farm continues today.

The building of the first pasture (the side pasture) started with the first fence post being placed in August of 2004.  By May of 2005, the side pasture was competed.  There now stands a 12' x 24' run-in, to shelter the horses from the weather and five acres of electric rope fencing.  The side pasture consists of a walk-through to enable people to get to the pasture without opening a gate but also prevents the horses from leaving the pasture.  

The road was extended to have a turn-around between the spot where the barn is to be built and where the house is to stand.  The pastures were named as to their position in relation to the barn.

The Farm will eventually consist of two five acre pastures of orchard grass, one five acre pasture of natural grass, one fourteen acre pasture.  The fourteen acre pasture will consist of orchard/timothy grass on seven acres, trees and a stream on the remaining seven acres.  All pastures will have a 30'-50' conservation buffer and bridle trail.  The house, barn and out buildings will occupy the remaining acres.  A fence will be built around the property line.  A bridle trail will follow the contour of the property between the pastures and the property line.  You can follow the progress of The Farm by selecting a current  project or see the last completed project by selecting Past Projects.