Farm & Homestead
A behind-the-scenes look at restoring and living on a 19th-century farmstead. From stone walkways and bank barns to orchard care and homestead traditions, this category preserves the past through everyday life on the land.
-
The Unintentional Sheep Farmer
In 1892, long before automobiles reached western Loudoun County, farm errands were measured in miles walked behind livestock. One summer evening, five-year-old Charles Compher grew too tired to continue helping his father drive…
-
Machine Sheds in the Late 1800’s
When people picture an old barn, they usually think of large structures with red siding built against a hillside, haylofts, and livestock stalls. Yet one of the most useful spaces on a working…
-
When Butter Tastes Like Onions
How a Cow’s Diet Affects Butter Flavor My uncles enjoyed working on their grandparents’ farm during the summers. Chiefly because nothing thrilled them more than dinnertime. One of them used to tell the…
-
From German Settlement Roots to Award-Winning Wines at Hiddencroft Vineyards
Tucked away among the rolling farmland of Loudoun County lies a property steeped in history, nourished by tradition, and brimming with rustic charm. This land has been witness to over 150 years of…
-
Rebuilding the Barn at the Compher Farm after the Tornado of 1929
In the spring of 1929, a devastating tornado struck the John W. Compher farm in Loudoun County, Virginia, demolishing the barn and leaving the family with nothing but rubble and resolve. What followed…
-
Summer Kitchen 101
In 1840s Virginia, the summer kitchen was more than a separate cooking space—it was the heartbeat of the farm. Tucked beside garden rows and shaded by walnut trees, this brick outbuilding held the…
-
Reclaiming the Stone Walkway at our Farmhouse
The Walkway In spring 2014, while installing a barrel-shaped stone patio near the tasting house, we noticed large, buried stones in the lawn. Old photos suggested there had once been a walkway connecting…
-
Springhouse Revival: From Butter Theft to Barrel Tables
This springhouse was once a vital part of the Compher farm. Its ground floor provided clean water and natural refrigeration for milk, cheese, butter, and eggs. The upper floor was used for butter…
-
How Many Cows does it take to make a Pound of Butter?
At first glance, the question of how many cows it takes to make a pound of butter sounds simple. Yet behind that creamy yellow pat lies a surprisingly complex journey. It begins in…
-
Repairing the Meat Curing House
A Hands-On Restoration of Historic Log Structure in Virginia I have no formal background in restoring antique log buildings. But after watching every episode of the TV show Barnwood Builders—where a crew of…
-
Life on a Northern Virginia farm, 1918
A nostalgic and vivid journey into 1918 farm life in Northern Virginia, where barns, butter, and barter defined the rhythms of rural survival.
-
Machine Shed Restoration
Page number 116 of the Charles Elbert Compher farm ledger dated 1938 contains a rudimentary plan for the construction of a machine shed. This shed would be attached to the barn that was…
