Where it all started…
My great grandfather, Norman MacDonald (born 1890’s) was a farmer who purchased a piece of land, built a farm with out-buildings, married my great grandmother Florence and raised a family. The farm was built in the early 1900s in Nine Mill Creek, Prince Edward Island. For over a century our family has continued to own that land which is still farmed to this day.
Unfortunately over the years our family has not used the main house and the exterior buildings have all fallen down. During my visit to PEI and the farm we got to walk around the original house (exterior only) to see the condition of the farm. The 100 acres of fields are thriving with rows of soy beans and potatoes. However, the house is in total disrepair. What once had beautiful hardwood floors, oak stairs with an elaborate bannister, a guest room “for the queen” and tons of farmhouse character is slowly falling in on itself. The entire house is caving in and there is little we can do for it.
And the original lane way is almost completely covered with greenery making a drive up near impossible without a truck.
I can remember visiting the farm as a child and playing on the massive bails of hay. Or picking the wild strawberries and hiking up to the creek. I also remember having chicken pox when I visited as a child — sorry to my cousins who ended up getting the pox as well.
Soon enough the farmhouse will fall down and it will no longer be visible from the road. With unobstructed views to the forests above and water below this massive piece of land with our families history will be just that, a piece of land. We are happy that we continue to use the land for crops which for over a century has been it’s intended use. We know our grandfather would be happy to see his farm still producing food.
🙂
My Country Farmhouse 