Our New 'Hood and Breaking Ground on the Barn

We drove out to our new farm today as it was the official first day of work on the barn. Jason and I should have each had ceremonial shovels and a yellow ribbon to cut and made it into a Ground Breaking ceremony. Today the earth work was done to prepare the barn pad. Jason also had very specific ideas about how he wanted the drainage around the barn set up as well, so some surveying was done and grade markers placed.

stakes marking the grade

Bear accompanied us today. He wasn't too happy about being on a leash (technically it wasn't a leash but a lead rope!).

We were pleased with the earth work and within the next day or so our builder will actually begin construction on the building itself. In our "master plan" this will be the first of three barns, although it will be the only barn we have for quite awhile. The property is 150 acres and regardless of where you site a barn on 150 acres some of the pastures and paddocks will always be a long hike from the barn. Thus we decided not to build one big barn but three smaller barns.

Our neighbor at our new farm, who is also our barn builder, kindly offered to bush hog our pastures for us and he was doing so when we drove up today. The grass was as tall as I am in the un-mowed areas even though it had been bush hogged a month ago. Jason is loving the soil on this farm, it grows grass like crazy!

The other thing Jason really enjoyed about this visit was we had a chance to get a really good look at the soil as the dozier operator was working. We had a couple of feet of really nice top soil. This wouldn't be noteworthy to people in some areas, but in middle Tennessee this is HARD to find - and the reason it took us several years to find and purchase a farm.

Look at all of that lovely soil!

This picture has nothing to do with anything. I just took it because everyone knows our truck because of the Canadian flag on the front. I even had someone start singing "Oh Canada" one time after they saw the license plate as I was pulling up at a horse show! It is surprising how many people have approached me either at horse shows, in the parking lot at the grocery store, and many other places to ask about the license plate.

It looked like a nice construction scene as we pulled in to the farm

When we were done at the farm we took the scenic route home and just drove around our new community. We've done this many times but I always enjoy it. We are located right in the area that is known as "hunt country." This area is home to more than one foxhunt and there are lots of lovely horse farms around, some big and some small. Below are some pictures that we took today as we drove around. We are really looking forward to being part of this community!

A barn a couple of miles away from our property

A coop in a fenceline for one of the hunts. There are lots and lots of coops in fencelines!

A farm entrance, clearly a member of one of the local hunts

Another coop in a fenceline

Another farm sign. I will admit the farm name is a bit of a mystery to me as there are no bears in the state of Tennessee with the exception of the mountains in east Tennessee.

Jason wanted a picture of this sign that was along a fenceline. "The Land Trust for Tennessee. Protected by conservation easement. Robeson/Hyde-Away Farm."

You also see a lot of stone walls built into the fencelines for the hunts as well.

a picture of a farm near ours; it is named Creekside Farm