About the Farm

The current farm house was originally built in the 1880’s by Eugene W Conrad and his father Jeremiah Bahnson Conrad. The Conrad family and their descendants continually occupied the home and property until it was sold to the previous owners in 1985 with parcels of the original tract having been sold off over time.  We understand the Conrads primarily ran the farm as a typical Southern small-holding, comprised of diverse crops and livestock.

 

The Conrad family has a long history in the area and has been traced back to Conrad’s in Bethania and even back to the Patriarch of the American branch of the family, Johann Jacob Conrad (1717-1798), who immigrated from the Alsace region of modern day France to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1737 on the ship St Andrew’s Galley.  

 

The current iteration of the property owned by Chris and Yasmin Bowers, Weathervane Farm, was established in July of 2017 and currently operates ~ 5 acres with 1/4 acre in production as a market garden and an additional 3 acres of pasture currently being grazed by Suffolk sheep. The balance of the acreage is in developing apple orchard, existing woods and the circa 1880’s farmhouse. In short, we are also creating a diverse small holding, but with updates to modern commercial practices and methods to ensure the farm’s financial viability for years to come.

 

It is our plan to maintain this small piece of rural history in the fast-growing area around us as an oasis and channel for connection with our agricultural heritage.