“ We just couldn ’ t allow the place to be bulldozed ... We knew there was a way to save it — there had to be some way for us to make it work .”
its development , they thought of one number to dial .
Jeff and his partner Terri had no plans of reclaiming threatened farmland when they stepped foot on the rolling slopes of Sylvanside pasture . With a passion for raising heritage breed animals , the two had collected a fleet of Clydesdales , milking Devons , ducks , and even honeybees . Jeff ’ s history with craftsman-style revival coupled with Terri ’ s family legacy as an apiculturist centered their collective ethic around diversity and small-scale agricultural production — a simple way of life .
This changed in an instant as the two walked the halls of the grand Stone Barn , an iconic feature of the farm that was hand-stacked by the Gregg family in the 17th century . “ We just couldn ’ t allow the place to be bulldozed ,” Terri said , lips pursed , as we sat in the sun-drenched parlor of the Manor House . “ Vines were growing here , inside ,” she said as the pointed upward and traced the finger along the molding of the farm ’ s main residence . “ We knew there was a way to save it — there had to be some way for us to make it work . We sold our other farm and starting preparing the animals to move , but we didn ’ t have a plan in place .”
On settlement day , neighbors who lived across the street approached Jeff and Terri as they stood in the circular driveway lined with yellowing boxwoods . Surveying the task of the crumbling barns and trash heaps that lay before them , the two were shocked by their neighbor ’ s request : “ This may seem crazy , but our daughter has always wanted to get married here . Do you think there ’ s any way to make that happen ?”
“ We didn ’ t waste any time after that ,” Terri remembered . “ We spent the first 365 days on the land from 4 in the morning to midnight , just cleaning and preparing for that first wedding . Something clicked , and we knew this was our ticket , this was our way to preserve the land that called so clearly to us .”
Today , Sylvanside Farm stands as one of the most highly-rated wedding venues in the county , marrying history with modern romance . The Stone and Poplar barns are nearly unrecognizable , one of which now features a 14-step
PHOTO : @ laurenmorrisphoto
The Poplar Barn — wedding ready