New Life to Old Farm
Formerly a sheep farm with meadows, oaks and redwoods, The Farm strives to preserve and restore the small-scale agricultural landscape, quintessential to Northern California’s heritage. The owner-designers revitalized this run-down farmstead into a creative playground for design, architecture, gardening, art, entertainment and nature.
Walking through the site, we start from the entrance court, where there is a car turnaround and parking with a gravel square with a large Chinese elm at its center.
The modern trellis serves as screen between the drive court and the house and main courtyard.
An organic garden produces substantial harvests of fruits, vegetables and flowers year-round. The landscape plantings are mostly low-water plants, succulents and grasses, including native plants to attract and support butterflies and pollinators.
Glass, gates, and decking were creatively reused to construct greenhouses and a trellis.
Pathways lead to a pool, which is raised 18” to navigate the slight slope and is constituted of poured-in-place natural concrete stretching 15’x50’ and protruding towards the meadow.
By embracing reclaimed materials, restoring old buildings, cultivating a productive garden, and transforming fields into habitable spaces, the project has created spaces that are environmentally responsible and culturally rich.
