Saturday, June 13, 2015

The Farmhouse 

 This is a two story, three bedroom farmhouse with country charm. The house has a full-bathroom upstairs and a half-bath downstairs. The first floor laundry includes a washer, dryer, laundry tub, and chest-type freezer. Many of the interior walls and ceilings of the house are wood, and have a nice aged and rustic patina. A central room upstairs, that includes the stairway, works well for sewing or other hobbies. Wildlife and nature are up close on the wooded west and north sides of the house.

The house is heated with an efficient Quadra-fire wood burning stove. The stove has a glass door and sits in the living room for your enjoyment. There is a convenient and modern kitchen with a refrigerator, electric range, and microwave. The cabinets are of oak.  Off the kitchen is an office nook which accommodates a desktop computer, files, and books. 

Welcome home!

Interior - First Floor


Livingroom west window and door --- lilacs outside.
Bedroom door is to the right (with red quilt draped over it.)


Livingroom west and south window.


Efficient Quadra-Fire wood burning stove is the primary heat for the home.


The closet door opens to the woodbox under the stairs.


The dining area is at the base of the stairs. The window faces south.


The kitchen is through the archway.


Composite showing three sides of modern country kitchen. (Use sink as a reference.)


Sink window faces wooded area to the north.


Window on left is kitchen window facing east. Through the doorway is the office/computer nook.


Window facing south. Shelves to ceiling. Large filebox.

Computer service is fast fiber-optic cable right to the modem under the desk.
 Cell phone service is good.



First floor bedroom with built in headboard.


One of two first floor bedroom windows. Windows both face woods on north and west sides.
Listen to the birds sing!


North (back) side of house.


The house comes with a washer and dryer, but nothing beats a country breeze.



Interior --- Upstairs


Upstairs bathroom window.


Central room/hallway at top of stairs with south window, and room for sewing or starting plants.


Doors to two bedrooms and the full bathroom exit off the central room.


North bedroom door.


North bedroom.


North bedroom closet. There are three like new window airconditioners in the closet that go with the house, although they are seldom needed.

 Full-size tub and shower.
Bathroom sink and north window.
                                         


Armoire stays with the house. Built years ago when wide wood planking was available.


South bedroom's open closet.


South bedroom with south window for your early riser.


The upstairs wood floors squeak like at grandma's house.


At the bottom of the page click on "Older Posts" to see more pictures.


The Granary/Garden Shed and Gardens

View of granary from living room window.

The granary serves as garden-and-farm tool shed.

It has a unique old window above the door....

 ....and it is built of hand hewn tamarack logs.

The sheep enjoyed flocking on the south end of it. (2006 photo)

The garden is adjacent to the granary.

Chamomile is the first plant to flower in the garden.


These pea blossoms aren't far behind.

An abundant supply of garden vegetables and herbs.


Opportunity for a healthy lifestyle!

A bountiful harvest of squash, delivered to our front door by the ox.

A new row, of raspberries, was planted last summer.

The chokecherries will soon be ready for harvest. They make excellent jam --- there is none better!

Chokecherries dancing in the wind.

Hollyhocks next to the kitchen window (2006 photo)

Phlox reseed themselves each year.

 
The lilacs are a favorite every spring.

  
Double rainbow over garden last summer.




The Pump and Wellhouse

The pumphouse contains the wellhead and pump. It has a double-wall construction and very thick insulation. There is plumbing for an outdoor heated livestock waterer (however I have never used it.)

During the drought a few years ago we ran the sprinkler 12 or more  hours a day, at times, and there was never any lack of water from the well. (Photo today 7/11/15)
.
The frost-free outdoor hydrant on a very chilly day in January.



The Pole Barn

This three sided pole shed has in it an enclosed stall for livestock, a well-lit enclosed area for a small shop (with room for a workbench and tool cabinets,) and a walk in storage closet with a large shelf and a clothes rod.  These are all on the south end. There is parking in the shed for several vehicles and plenty of room to do mechanical work. The north end of the shed works well as a woodshed or for machinery storage.


The livestock shelter is in the pole barn with entry door on the right next to the tall windbreak. Piles are composting manure in three stages. The one on the left is ready to be spread.

View from in the barn looking out. This is a dated photo. The doorway is currently covered with flaps for winter weather and as protection from biting insects. Inside the barn an ultra violet insect trap keeps the area free of flies and mosquitoes without attracting insects that are outdoors. The ox (my most recent livestock) very much enjoyed the relief from flies and mosquitoes.

 
The barn area is large enough for a 2250# ox, two or three horses, or a dozen (or more) sheep.

An observation window also serves to let natural light into the small workshop area beyond it. The access door is on the right and enters into the garage area.

There is room to park three vehicles plus a tractor and some machinery in the shed. The barn area could easily be enlarged into the first parking bay (next to it.) I used that area for a dog kennel.

The north side serves as a wood shed or machinery parking area.

The middle section is a good area for parking and working on vehicles or equipment. The south end contains the barn, a workshop/tool room, and a storage room. There is also a large area for storage above these rooms.

This is the entry to the barn area, showing the half-swinging stall doors and insect trap.



The Pasture


The pasture has five-paddocks of woven wire. By rotating pastures, the pasture is very productive and has diversity of pasture plants. 

There is ample additional open field to expand the pasture size or to add a market garden or other small crop.

Pasture potential. We see Hungarian Partridge, Pintail Grouse and Meadow Larks nesting here.

The fencing is in good repair --- ready for livestock!

 The fence was built for sheep and goats. (2005 photo)

Very near the same location as sheep picture above. ( photo today, 7/11/2015)

When we go away we can safely leave the dog in the pasture and he can not escape.

Even this wily critter could not escape. (2006 photo)

The pasture has had no livestock this season.  The "rest" the pasture is getting is very good for the overall health of the forage. It will look neat and trim again, once grazing commences.

(Red clover actually makes pretty good tea.)

The forages are getting a chance to produce a lot of seed. (photos today, 7/11/15)

I always called these wild sweet peas but I'm not sure that's what they are. Here is one (unusual) white flowering plant amongst the purple ones. (photo today, 7/11/2015)


White clover in abundance makes good pastures. These will be producing plenty of seed as well. The old chicken coop in the background is in the north east pasture.

It is actually a rabbitry with cages, feeders, waterers, and nesting boxes --- enough to raise enough meat for a family. Unfortunately the roof leaks badly and is in poor repair. It could still be rescued if you found renewed interest in using the building and repaired it. (photo today, 7/11/2015)

Hay can be purchased locally and delivered.

Pasture and sheep at sunrise. (2006 photo)



Firewood, and Fuelwood Plantation

The cut and split firewood stays with the property and is a good down payment on next winter's fuel! It is mixed hardwood and poplar. Hybrid poplar, when cut and split green, before curing, burns much the same as native poplar - hot and clean. 

Mixing it with a little hardwood helps hold the coals overnight.

The hybrid poplar plantation provides an  abundant and sustainable source of firewood. (I've seen an American Woodcock here for the second year now. Hopefully they are nesting!) 
   
(Stock photo - American Woodcock)

The poplar plantation is serving as a nursery for a wide variety of species of trees. Pictured is a Siberian Elm. Cutting poplar for firewood releases these trees to break through the canopy.

South border of property.

Looking north from the mailbox the property goes all the way to the corner.

Looking south from the mailbox. Property goes all the way to the green farm field just beyond the trees.

Flowers in a meadow amongst the poplars.

Grazing at the edge of the woods.

Hundreds of native tree seedlings are established around the perimeter of the hybrid poplars. These were transplanted, seeded, or have volunteered.

Nannyberry seedling.

A wild strawberry, amongst the poplar trees, waiting for a little bird to come along.

 On the left are hybrid poplars, on the right is the grove of mixed woodland just north of the house.