I have been working on two different projects. One here a the lodge - and the other at the farm.

Recently I have been spending quite a bit of time working on the restoration of Carley Brook Farm, an 1820s farmhouse and farm.

Read more about the announcement

Back a while ago I had discovered old knob and tube wiring in the farm house.

When I had opened up the kitchen ceiling to access the source of a leak I revealed the ancient wiring. It looked like it was in pretty good shape - soft and supple after all those years. I rhetorically asked “do I really have to replace it? - Cant I just repair the ceiling and cover it up as if I never had seen it? After all it looked like it was in pretty good condition.”

Comments soon followed that post….. (replace replace replace) each comment echoing the next.

What a job. Replacing the knob and tube is not a pleasurable task by any means but it is a necessary one.

Read more on knob and tube replacement

I have been busy busy busy - Have been in the process of ripping out old knob and tube wiring and rewiring - a tedious job. The old knob and tube throughout the house was divided simply by two circuits. One for lights and one for sockets. YIKES.

The kitchen rewiring is complete as well as all the sockets in that room. The second floor rewiring has been completed and by the weekend I will have finished rewiring the rest of the house.

more about removal of the wiring

I’ve been out at the farm again working on fixing plaster. I did get quite a bit accomplished. All the fiber ceiling tiles that were put up sometime in the 70s and the furring strips were completely removed and taken out to the burn pile. I lit them up and stood back and enjoyed the flames - it was a nice way to end their horrific existence.

The exterior of the farm house currently has vinyl siding which I plan to remove this spring. Before doing so I decided I should open up a section of the wall - through the plaster to find out whether I should try to insulate from the inside or do some sort of blow fill from the outside. If insulating from the inside I had to decide whether or not to keep the plaster on the exterior walls or completely remove it, insulate and then replace with drywall.

read more about the plaster progress

I had a major discovery in the attic at the farmhouse. I had been in the attic before but didn’t pay much attention to the pile of additional insulation in the corner. There under the pile was a window, the gable window. It measure 4 1/4 feet tall by almost three feet wide. The round window is about 18 inches in diameter.

For a long time, when looking at the house, I had suspected that there had, at one time, been a window in the gable and perhaps hidden beneath the vinyl siding that the previous owner installed. In time the vinyl siding will be removed to expose the original clapboard.

Upon my discovery I shot down to the local plumbing supply that bears the same name of the original owner of the farm. I explained what I found to the gentleman and he became quite excited about it.

Read more about the farmhouse

It has been raining steady now here at Carley Brook Farm for the past week. My attention to fixing these plaster walls and ceilings keeps diverting to the poor shape of the roof on this old farmhouse. I know the roof needs replacing. Luckily it is not leaking however, the asphalt shingles are well beyond their lifespan and blatantly displaying the tell tale signs: Splitting and cracking ends; curled, warped and buckled edges; and the more than occasional piece of dried up shingle on the ground after a mildly stiff wind. YIKES!

The roof has been measured and materials calculated. The roof will be replaced with a standing seam - tin roof of deep forest green. I think it will look sharp and is appropriate for the style of house.

Read more about coming roof repairs

I’m headed to farm today to further evaluate my list of projects in the restoration of the farmhouse and repair a plaster ceiling in one of the upstairs bedrooms.

The house, built around 1820, needs work. Structurally it is sound except for the porch which needs to be rebuilt. Eventually the vinyl siding will come off and the clapboard restored. Luckily the original molding is on the outside of the windows and doors. I have also discovered that the vinyl siding is hiding some other interesting wood work details and a window in the gable.

Throughout the inside the plaster walls are in good shape– smooth and solid with very few cracks. Some of the plaster ceilings have been covered with ferring strips and fiber ceiling tiles which will all have to come off.

Read more about repairing plaster ceilings

So this past weekend I had to spend some time out at the farm to take care of a few things. Of course it rains like all hell so most of my tinkering was left to inside jobs.

Ended up mostly doing paperwork in the office and did a little plumbing in the office bathroom nothing major.

Carley Brook Farm was built around 1820. Ive been working on restoration of the entire farm.

First order of business however is getting the caretaker’s apartment close to the original.

All in good time.

Today its off to the farmstead. Carley Brook Farm - my other project.

I have to put down my tools here at Bearfort Lodge and head off to the farm where I have a number of other restoration projects moving along.

The farm was built in 1821. Restoration is moving along even though I really only have weekends available to do any work on the place at this time. But stick around and see what develops here as there will be a dramatic transformation.

Upon return I will post more in-depth information.