Homeowners

Well today we are officially the Homeowners of the farmhouse! It has been fun watching the house change and transform.  We pulled our plumbing and electrical permits last week so we are full swing into those. We really need to find a good source for helping run the new heat ducts. We have a few leads to pursue still but the heating companies are outrageously high priced. We are scheduled to be insulated the beginning of Nov., so we are moving right along. Hopefully we will be all dry-walled by Dec. but we shall see! God is continuing to bless us through this process. After the first of the year we will begin to change our focus from house to farm. By then we will be able to get the farm into shape enough to have animals after the snow melts. We are very excited for what is to come and we thank you all for your interest and support. For those of you that we have left, we miss you all and continue to think of you often. I keep thinking that I have seen someone or their vehicle from back home but then remind myself that they don't live here and it isn't them :( But all is well with the Derbys. Hope and Grace love to sing together all the time.  They love playing with the barn cats and the tractors.  Hope is ready to get her cow, Arbelle, as she named it. She will have to wait until Spring. Baby #3 is still scheduled to arrive around the beginning to middle of December and is doing very well. Blessings!

John and Kristin

The New Deck

The deck before (what you can't see are the huge holes on the edges

 

The after (almost finished)

Caleb came for the weekend to help get the deck done

The stud behind the studs :)

 

 

 

Since this picture was taken there have been rails added

Well our first big project is complete! (The deck) No more holes to walk around or worry that your kids might fall into. We bagged 4 garbage bags full of garbage from under it! We even found a dead cat...fun.  Now it looks great and is safe to walk in and out of the house.  We are currently almost completely framed in on the inside and about to begin electrical, plumbing and heating into the walls.  Once those are complete we will be insulating and hanging drywall. The house is coming right along! If you are ever in the area, feel free to stop by and see it! We are working there everyday currently. Blessings!!  The Derbys

Demolition Derby Style

Grace got in on the demolition with Auntie Joy

There was a ton (actually about 10 ton!) of lathe, plaster and blown-in insulation.
What a mess!!!

Rebekah works in the rather dusty upstairs rooms

Brothers admiring all that dirt (well insulation)

Dad (Rick) works in the upstairs hallway

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Tearing up the carpet on the staircase

Now look at that staircase! What an improvement!





I think Seth was so tired of getting dirty that he attempted to clean off in the bathtub!
I'm not so sure that was the kind of bath he wanted!



The final product of the living room after everything was tore out of it.

THE DOWNSTAIRS

Here is a view of the living room...35ft long!

The beautiful staircase is a highlight. That is totally staying!

This is a view of the kitchen that my great grandmother made in the 60's.

This room is a den that stems off of the kitchen to the east.

The door on the left leads to the basement and breezeway to the garage.

This is a bedroom that my great grandmother made in the 60's along with the kitchen.

It is my understanding that it used to be where the old kitchen was. She added a half bath

and a large closet. I always knew this room as my grandparent's room.

This is a view of the staircase leading to the upper level.

THE UPSTAIRS

This is a view of the hallway.  There is a chimney that bumps out on the right hand side.

The first door on your left is the bathroom. Looking in, there is a tub on the right side that you can't

see and the toilet is actually inside the door. It has its own room! Behind you is the sink.

The next door on the left is the biggest bedroom measuring a whopping 25ft long!

There are two closets in this room with built in dressers.

The last door on the right is the smallest room measuring about 15ftx10ft.

It has a large closet 4ft deep!

The final room is the first door on the right. It used to be two rooms but they turned the

other door into a bookshelf. My grandpa used to practice all his square dancing calls in this room.

The door you see here leads up to the attic.

So there is a small picture tour of the old house. As of right now, it looks NOTHING like this anymore. Soon to come are the Demolition Derby pictures and pictures of the new deck!

farmhouse before video.wmv

If you have a few minutes, John will give you a tour of the house before we started renovations.

The Name Game

We are trying to get as many minds together to help us come up with the best name for our business. If you have a few minutes and want to help us out, grab a paper and pencil and follow along.
(Leave about a minute for each step)
Step 1: Write down everything that comes to mind when you hear the word FARM.
Step 2: Write down everything that comes to mind when you hear the word ORGANIC.
Step 3: Write down everything that comes to mind when you hear NATURAL MEAT.
Step 4: Write down many creative names for our farm business.
CONSIDER: Don't use the word ORGANIC for legally we cannot use it. Our business will mainly sell 100% grassfed beef (called salad bar beef), pastured poultry, free-range eggs and possibly pork. We may also form a cornmaze or an educational program for schools to visit and learn about eating healthy. We hope to one day have an on-farm store but for now will sell by word of mouth and farmers markets. The farm will be a 100 years owned by the First Family but will be operated by the Derby family. Ok, now get writing!
Step 5: Go through your list of names and select your top 5 favorites and list them on my wall. Thanks for participating!

The House was built in 1913-1914

We are purchasing my grandparents stone farmhouse and remodeling it. Our families
have been a great help in tearing down. We are all excited to see the story

God will write for us here as we begin this adventure.