What's In A Name

Every farm needs a name, and ours had one once upon a time, but since it has not been used as a farm for many years our taking ownership and turning it back in to a farm seemed to perfect time to rename it.   Our property was once part of a large apple orchard and has a few remaining second generation apple trees that we are trying to bring back to life.  Our goal is to add to those trees, and plant some peach and cherry trees as well, along with a large garden next spring.  As far as animals are concerned, we brought our flock of hens with us from our previous home and added goats about a month or so ago.

 The home was built in 1895, and was previously known as Engle Switch Manor we believe, but with all she has gone through over the past few decades, years of neglect, and then a complete restoration, our home is in many ways, a home with a fresh start. Having remained in the same family for several decades, the home went in to decline not with the original family but with the one after that. Two years ago a contractor bought her and restored her to her glory, and gave her all of the bells and whistles of a modern home while maintaining her charm.  I can't take credit for the remodel but I can tell you I would have done it the exactly the same way.  The contractor kept as many original characteristics to the house as possible, while bringing her in to the current century, and did a beautiful job.

We used to call our small rancher the Funny Farm because no one had as many animals as we did in our suburban neighborhood, but that name did not seem to fit the new place, so we decided to come up with a name of our own.  We decided to name out farm Engle Switch Farm, keeping part of the old, but making it us by adding "farm." The blog became Bright Yellow Farmhouse because of the color of the house.

I believe that the exterior of the house was originally white, but was painted a bright, warm, yellow color during the restoration.  Honestly, because my husbands favorite color is yellow and this house and all of the out buildings are yellow helped seal this deal. I'm not really a yellow fan, but this color so wonderfully happy that I love it.  There is nothing like pulling in to the driveway and seeing that inviting yellow pulling you in for a warm hug.

So that's the story behind the name of our new/old farmhouse.

Cheers!
Joanne