Year Later, Workcation !!!

If you are reading this, most likely you are well aware we have an Amish Farm we have purchased in Kentucky. If not let me give a little overview.

When we originally purchased the farm a little over a year ago, Chad had not seen it in person. My Dad and I made the mad dash (which from Lamesa Tx -to Livingston Tx-to Kentucky is 23 hours and 54 minutes one way) the day after we seen it on realtor.com

When Dad and I first got to the farm, we were a few hours early for our appointment with the realtor. So we drove by to see it from the road, and drive around and explore the area.

I knew the minute, I saw it with my own eyes;, my “Hallmark Christmas Movie” farmhouse of my dreams had been found !!!!!

At the time I did not want to get my hopes up to much, because I’d be devastated if the Amish Farm fell through. It was an adventure exploring the house and barn and land. As I walked around it brought me back in time, when life was more simple, no electricity, no indoor plumbing, just a lot of possibilities!!!!

When I called Chad and showed him the farm thru FaceTime and photos, he was not real interested in the house itself. His first question was, “can I hunt safely?“, second question was, “show me the barn and workshop area”. His last question was “can I turn the basement into a Man-cave/Game room?

After I said yes. He stated “ok sign the paperwork and pay the lady”. I was, do you want to know about the house?? He said “Babe, you know all I need is the four S’s (somewhere to sleep, shower, sit and $h¡% 🙄) in a house, the rest of it ;that’s all up to you if you like it”.

Now mind you, buying an Amish farm is interesting to say the least. Their was a long list, of figuring out how to go about modernizing the farm.

1. How to get electricity installed to the house and barn?

2. How to go about installing plumbing ?

3. Since it was Amish Built house, it was a very simplistic design and finishing. Example no indoor bathroom, except an outhouse and only plumbing was water to kitchen sink and a small hand wash sink.

4. Lots of unfinished aspects: •Upstairs 3 out of 4 bed rooms had drywall up but not taped and mudded or painted. •One bedroom had exposed studs the drywall was not installed yet. •The upstairs floor was only underlayment. •None of the doors or windows had been trimmed out. •Most rooms did not have doors at all on them. The list goes on and on.

Side note. Found out the Amish considered it to be boasting and prideful to have these finished out.

Now most people I have talked to about the farm ask (2) two questions. Why, in the world would you want an unfinished home and why do you want it in Kentucky??

The Answer is actually an easy one. “ Why not”? I mean, I get to choose where to put Everything. I get to choose where to put electricity plugs, light switches? Trim? Flooring? Painting? Bathrooms? Entire kitchen design? and so forth. (Except when Dad, says “No, Casey you can not have that there” 🤣😂🤣😂)

Second answer is just as easy. I grew up with my Dad in the Navy, Chad grew up an Army brat. Both of us have moved a lot as adults. With Chad being a Warden, with TDCJ we also get moved around Texas, at the drop of a hat. So we are not tied down to any particular town or area.

Kentucky is absolutely beautiful. The weather is nice, the people are very nice. Most of the people we have encountered act like we been family or neighbors, All of our lives. The prices are so much more reasonable there as well.

July 21,2021 the Amish Farm became the “Pink Squirrel Farmstead” and was officially ours !!!

Luckily my Parents and Hunter were willing to move to the farm and work on projects. Hopefully by the time Chad can retire in a few years it’ll be mostly the way I want it to be.

So we have had, my Hallmark Movie farm of my dreams just a tad over a year now. I do not even know where to start at on the transformation that has occurred in the last year. I’m sure if I went to try and list something I would miss a ton 🤣.

We now have one bathroom with toilet and sink and old fashioned cast iron tub. In laundry room we have 2 washers and 2 dryers. Electric in the mud room, kitchen, living room, 2 out of the 5 bed rooms and multiple other places.

So now we are on to some of the more exciting and fun. We have made several trips back and forth from Texas to Kentucky. The last 4 1/2 days we spent on beautification projects. The living room we put up shiplap accent wall. I painted it chimney smoke grey. All around Kentucky you see black tobacco barns. So I think it is quit fitting to the area. Painted the rest of the living room and trimmed out the walls, door and windows. Chad installed a windmill ceiling fan (more parts than an IKEA project). I just love the ceiling fan, Chad was probably using some inappropriate language most of the install process. Normally the fan at Home Depot is over $800. We found it at a store in Wichita Falls for less than $50 🤯. Shiplapped the stairwell. Installed shiplap on several of the walls in various locations. And installed flooring in the upstairs library and one of the bedrooms.

This may not sound like much; but trust me. It was wayyyyyy more of an accomplishment in 4 days than you would ever want to conquer. We are definitely Glad we had help from Dad and the kiddos !!

Not sure if you have ever used a wood planner or not, but Chad found a “cheaper” shiplap alternative. You buy fence boards and run them thru the planner 2-3 times. What a price saving, but lots of work 🤣🤣.

We also had the opportunity to walk around and dwindle down some of the designs I want to tackle in the future.

This workcation definitely , whooped all of our butts, however the difference was worth the long hours.

Oh and it was awesome to play with the baby Goats !!!!!!!!!