Pearl Farm

I can’t believe it has been a year since I hosted the “before” party at the Pearl Farm on July 2, 2022.  The idea was to bring people in from all over the country that had a personal connection to me or to the property, so that they could see it before I embarked on the journey to renovate the house and spruce up the 3+ acres.  That was an incredibly special day! 

So, what’s happened over the last twelve months?  The number one question that I get from friends and family is “what’s going on at the farm?” Or some version of that question, like, “how’s the project going?”, or, “Are you close to being done with the renovations?”  (This one makes me laugh!)

In the months that followed July 2nd, I hosted a few small gatherings, including an outdoor dinner in August to celebrate August birthdays, and a few high school and college sporting even watch parties.  

August Birthday Dinner Hosted by Savor and Swirl (Instagram @savorandswirl) August 12, 2022

In November, I attended a meet and greet with a local builder and their team, and toured some of the properties of the clients for whom they had renovated old farmhouses.  This was a meeting that was scheduled to take place in July, but for reasons outside of my control, had to be postponed to the fall.  After 13 months of research and interviews, I made the final decision that this builder would be the best fit for helping me to design the house, complete the three acre site plan, and ultimately renovate the house.  I signed the contract, paid the fee, and it was off to the races!

The first step to getting started on the site plan was to do a land survey, which was done right after Christmas.  In mid January, the builder sent out a crew to photograph and measure very inch of the house, so that they would have an understanding of the scope of work.  At this point, I had already had two phone meetings and three in person meetings with the builder, in addition to providing a full written plan of work, complete with photos and concepts in fall 2021, and I gave it to them again in the fall 2022, so at that point, I felt confident that they had a good grasp of the scope of work, and had everything that they needed to start work on the site plan and design of the house.  

We started having regular design meetings in February, and based on where we are now, I think that we are very close to having a house design that I will be happy with, and the site plan for the property is about one-third of the way complete.  Based on where things stand today, I think that we should have a good idea of the timeline for starting the renovation by the end of the year.  Until there is a shovel in the ground, when someone asks when we are starting construction, my answer will be “I don’t know.”  

In the meantime, I am going to spend as much time as I can enjoying the property in its current state, including the incredible sunsets, breathtaking views of the countryside, the fire pit, charcoal grilling, and get togethers with family and friends.  I’ll also continue to be grateful for all of the work that my cousin Don, the property caretaker has accomplished in rehabbing and maintaining the huge yard and outbuilding.  It takes a village!

What was left after burning the pile with 30 plus trees. January 23, 2023.