Alex and Ashley have owned their farm since 1995, buying it at auction from Agnes Laverty, age 95, who lived there from the age of 10 with her youngest brother, Frank, until his death in 1995 at age 85. Their parents, Frances and Mae Laverty built it in 1910 after the original homestead burned down.
Alex and Ashley used it for hunting and a weekend “getaway” for 20 years before renovating/adding-on and moving in full time in 2015. Geothermal heat/cool and solar panels were installed. The 80 tillable acres have been in CRP since 1998, planted in prairie with evergreens on the edges.
In 2005 they started raised bed vegetable gardening, being committed to growing as much of their own food as possible. In 2017 they replaced the wooden raised beds with 12 galvanized steel stock tanks, adding 6 more this spring.
Mae had three separate small perennial beds in front of the house that have been made into one large bed, keeping her plants right where they’ve always been.
It was a perfect summer evening and the gardens could not have been lovelier. Thank you to Alex and Ashley for their hospitality!
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