The 60 acres does not have a house, so we need to have one built. There was an old farmhouse on the farm but the previous owners subdivided it on 3 acres from the 60 acres a few years back.
We have a contract with Hickory Homes of Picton, Ontario, to build a solid 1 ½ story farmhouse style home. We want to be able to live there into old age so have the master bedroom on the main floor and 2 bedrooms and a full bathroom upstairs for family and visitors. Budget is limited so we can’t have all the extras that would be nice but the plan does provide for a big farmhouse style kitchen and an open concept living area with a wood stove. Kyle & Christine DenOuden of Hickory Homes have been very helpful to try and make it work within our budget.
The site is on a little bit of a ridge and allows for some views of Lake Ontario, a few hundred yards to the south. To the north, we hope to be able to open up some views of our pastures through the trees.
Work began in the beginning of June and the basement walls have been poured. The double-walled section on the far side is the foundation for the front porch. We are very pleased that the porch foundation, with the addition of a few vents and a doorway from the rest of the basement, makes a 100+ sq. ft. cold room.
Yes, much of Prince Edward County is underlain by limestone bedrock. We knew it was close below the surface on the gentle ridge on which we are building and the excavator found it just several feet below the surface. The operator was pleased how relatively level and smooth the bedrock was at that point. He also quoted to us the biblical verse “The wise man builds his house upon the rock.”
Also, you can see near the excavator the many slabs of limestone dug out of the soil. They are beautiful pieces of rock that would bring very high prices from landscapers in Vancouver. They are so abundant that early settlers used them to built stone fences in the area and dragged them into heaps at the edge of fields. We hope to be able to use some of them for walkways and a patio.
One Response
Karen
I’m so pleased to be able to follow the construction of your house here, as well as the future development of your agricultural pursuits. This is an adventure I don’t want to miss!