What's this all about?

At the end of 2005, we packed up all our worldly goods and moved from a small rowhome in South Philadelphia to a 20-acre farm in rural Pennsylvania that had once been owned by Gina's grandparents. We're currently in the process of bringing the property back to life and thought it would be interesting to share our experiences. Our interests are varied, too, and so this really isn't about one particular topic, but more about the experience as a whole -- how we've adjusted to life on a farm, as well as what we plan to do with it long term. We'll post what we've learned about home renovation, gardening, and anything else that we think might be interesting.

History

Gina’s grandparents, Warren and Helen Bittner, were the former owners of this property; they farmed it actively from the mid 30s to the late 80s or early 90s. After both grandparents passed away – her grandfather died in November 1994 and her grandmother died ten years later in November 2004 – the family decided to sell the property at an auction.

There was a total of 100 acres, which were split into three separate parcels: a 20-acre parcel with the house and outbuildings, one 35-acre parcel of land, and another 45-acre parcel of land. I had the crazy idea that maybe we could purchase the house and 20 acres before it went to auction. Strangely enough, it worked out.

We estimate the house – a very plain, gable-end stone home – was constructed around 1850. There was an addition on the back that was added somewhere in the 20s or 30s. Structurally it’s pretty sound, but it’s been neglected for quite some time. Although Gina’s grandmother was alive throughout the 90s, she was restricted to a nursing home and the farmhouse was rented to various tenants during that period.

Currently, five acres of the property is farmed by a local farmer – wheat, potatoes and some soy beans – while the rest is meadow and woods. The property includes a small pond (approximately 1/3 acre), a few chicken houses, a summer kitchen / smokehouse, a large barn, and a few other miscellaneous outbuildings. They all need paint.

Gina’s family – the Bittners – have been living in the region since the 1700’s. The earliest settler – Andreas Bittner – came from the Alsace region of Germany in 1762. According to an ancestral history, he learned the weaving trade and became the owner of a successful farm operation. He was also noted as a very progressive man.

We have a box of old deeds, hand-drawn survey maps and mortgage information but it’s unclear whether they relate to the property we currently own. At some point I’ll have a chance to dig through the documents and share more about what I find here.

Although we both grew up in rural surrounding, this is all relatively new to us and we certainly welcome and encourage any feedback. If you're an avid home-renovation specialist or have useful gardening tips, by all means let us know. You can email Evan at evan@farmicology.net or Gina at gina@farmicology.net

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