wellaway is a 176-acre working farm and forest in Leeds, NY. Half the land is pasture being fenced for livestock. The other half is forest managed for timber production. Six barns and sheds form the farm hub. The buildings were constructed between the early 1800s and the 1960s and renovations are planned for all of the structures.
Round Top is the dome-shaped hill in the photos and the range behind it is the north face of the Catskill Escarpment.
The old corn crib was converted into a 500 square foot live-work space.
Twelve distinct pastures separated by stone walls, streams, windbreaks and abrupt changes in topography grow approximately 60 acres of forage. Geologically, the grasslands are the bed of an ancient glacial lake. This feature of rolling hills at the bottom of a great loch is, all at once, unique, apparent and sublime.
This two-story barn was built in 1967 and has a footprint of 4,200 square feet. Livestock will over-winter in deep pack bedding downstairs and loose hay will be stored upstairs.
This two-story, timber frame bank barn was constructed during the early 1800s. Improvements will make it the nightly home for goats and the center for spring lambing.
This hand-hewn, timber-frame structure was constructed during the early 1800s. Renovations are planned to make this home for a team of working draft horses.
Two red sheds on the road frame the main entrance to the farm and include a garage workshop and an old timber-frame chicken coop.
Ninety acres of forest on rolling land has been well managed for timber production for several decades. The latest round of timber stand improvement and commercial harvesting was completed over six months during 2018. Predominant tree species include white oak, shagbark hickory, white pine and hemlock.
There is always a lot going on -- building, logging, haying, fencing...
wellaway has beautiful specimen trees, including white oak, sugar maple, weeping willow and shagbark hickory. Mature windbreaks separate the different pastures.
Three protected trout spawning streams enter the property from the north, combine twice about midway down the farm, then exit as one tributary to Catskill Creek eight miles from the Hudson River. Four new open-bottom culvert bridges keep equipment and livestock out of the creeks and protect water quality.
Unicorns exited the woods under the rainbow and pooped skittles into the palm of my hand.
