About Ransom Farm

  We're glad you're here!

These 80 acres have been in my family for 233 years, spanning four centuries.  The original deed, dated 1780, granted the parcel of land to my ancestor, Pelatiah Ransom, by the King of England.  Pelatiah had been a Minute Man soldier in the Revolutionary War and, upon concluding his military service, bought this plot.  At that time, the northwest corner of Connecticut was the edge of the colonial wilderness.  A few houses and roads existed in the area, as well as a Native American settlement, but Pelatiah was really one of the first proprietors of the village.  He built a small log cabin (from which the foundation, luckily, still exists today) before he started working on building a permanent farmhouse and clearing the land for a farm.  Pelatiah and his wife, Sarah, went on to open one of the first taverns in the area, owned a stagecoach that ran on the old Hartford-Albany turnpike, built a bridge that spanned the Farmington River, and, of course, ran a successful farm in the wake of a new republic. 

Two hundred years later, my girls play on the same floors that were hand-hewn, by their ancestor, from now-extinct American Chestnut that grew on this very same land.  My sheep spend the days blissfully grazing on the same native orchard grass that horses, cows, donkeys, and countless other animals have foraged on for decades.  My husband collects fresh eggs, fills feed containers, and checks for frozen water troughs in our large English Bank-style barn and sturdy 1940's chicken coop.  And this December, I lugged my first batch of canned preserves made in this house (an orange jam with real vanilla beans... it tastes like a Creamsicle!) into the field-stone cellar for storage, just like so many farm women before me. 

When my Dad passed away in 2011, he left me with the family farm and a legacy of homesteading that goes back many, many years.  My grandparents ran this farm and eventually my Dad took over.  It has undergone many roles, including a dairy farm, country bakery, tobacco farm, maple syrup business, and horse farm.   

Although I visited on weekends and have always been passionate about gardening, animals, nature, and rural living, taking over a farm has been a new experience for us!  Six months ago, we traded our suburban, Victorian-era house with neat, one-third acre backyard for wide open spaces.  Right now, we are enjoying raising our chickens, Old English Southdown sheep, and pets.  Our orchard has been planted, the large vegetable garden keeps us busy, and we are learning old-fashioned farm skills along the way.  In the coming years, we hope to expand our flock of sheep and add in some rescued alpacas, donkeys, and horses.  

A friend encouraged me to document our daily farm life, learning experiences, and connections to the land... so here it is, the beginning of our journey.  Please follow along with us as we become the stewards of a very special plot of land!

Thanks for visiting!

- Katie & JP

Here are some past posts about Ransom Farm's history and owners:

Encouraging Kids to Help on the Farm

Oatmeal-Honey Bread for the Bread-maker... and Memories of Gram's Bakery

The Horse Thief

Photographing My Old Barn