2019

We kicked off 2019 with maple syrup season, producing just a small batch enough for personal use on the farm.  We will be hosting hipcampers and WWOOFers, including a new partner, Tisha, who will be here for the entire growing season.  With the extra help, we hope to wrap up some building projects and turn our focus more onto food production.  We will be designing the layout for the vegetable gardens, constructing raised beds and hugelkultur mounds, amending the soil and, hopefully, planting a fall crop at least.  We will complete the cob oven and host a big pizza party!  We will keep working on the nature trail system and tie it into the new 5 acres,   and woodlands restoration.  We will also be organizing a two woodlands restoration days and two volunteer trash cleanups along our quaint, little country road.  Look forward to some fun events popping up (follow us on facebook for updates)!   

2018

A busy year!  We made some maple syrup, salvaged a few barns for materials, built the first two guest cabins, plus an outdoor kitchen and guest bathroom.  We worked a bit on nature trails, removed some invasive plants, planted a few more fruit trees and berry bushes and also planted a rough pollinator garden.  We hosted some hipcampers and received our fist WWOOFing volunteer requests.  We hosted our first few primitive skills workshops and started building an outdoor earthen oven.  We got a few laying chickens!  Oh, and we added 5 acres to the property, bringing the total acreage to 15.4 acres!  Wahoo!  Onward!   

2017

Fruitdale Farm filed as an official business with the state of Ohio.  A small driveway and building pad for the barn was cut in.  The first work party was held in the spring.  Fruit trees, grapes, berries, and perennials were planted.  Two beehives were established.  A dock was built on the pond.  We converted an old donkey shed into the first guest cabin.  We hauled in a free gazebo that we plan to convert to a communal outdoor kitchen. A composting toilet was built.  A nature trail system has been started.  We tore down a big barn and stored the wood for future building projects.  We learned to identify invasive plants and started to remove them. We also joined Hipcamp and hosted our first campers in the fall.

2016

A driveway was cleared into the wooded lot and the first structure, a modest 16'x24' cabin, was built and serves as the primary residence and workshop.

On the cleared lot, a 1/4 acre pond was dug in November, which will serve as a wildlife habitat, water source for crop irrigation and swimming hole!  

2015

10+ acres of undeveloped land was acquired in Bainbridge, Ohio!  

The land is approximately 60% wooded and 40% cleared with great sun exposure for agriculture and solar power.  A year for observation and planning.