On Saturday, April 28 at 9 a.m., farmer Dean Carlson will debut his on-site Farm Market at Wyebrook Farm, the 355-acre oasis of sustainable agriculture he created just 45 minutes from downtown Philadelphia. Visitors are invited to tour the grounds, enjoy live music and sample the farm’s hand-butchered, pasture-raised meats, house-cured bacon, sausages, hot dogs and charcuterie. Items will also be available for purchase year-round Saturdays from 9 am until 5 pm and Sundays from 11 am until 5 pm, providing one of the only truly fresh-from-the-farm experiences in the region.
“We aimed to create a place where people could come to reconnect with nature and deeply appreciate the food it provides us,” says Carlson, a former bond trader who has become a hands-on farmer. “Getting back to basics took a lot of effort, but the end result is unmatched.”
Carlson is an inspirational figure who purchased the land for Wyebrook without any practical farming experience – only a passion for sustainable agriculture and a desire to preserve the inherent character of the pristine land. His vision for the Farm Market, housed in a historic 18th-century barn, allows visitors to peruse the bounty of the farm in an atmosphere that captures the charm of a time past. He restored the barn responsibly and sustainably, leaving many of the original features intact, such as the existing stone walls and distressed wooden floors. Some barn materials have been reclaimed and incorporated into the new design, particularly its timber beams that were refashioned into handsome 12-foot-long tables that will be used for displaying a variety of vegetables and artisan cheese sourced from neighboring farms in the community, as well as hosting intimate chef’s tasting dinners.
The Farm Market will also feature a butcher shop, a seamless addition built into the barn’s antique structure that was erected from reclaimed wood. The open design of the shop allows guests to watch Wyebrook butchers prepare the various cuts of meat that will be promptly packaged and sold from its stainless steel temperature-controlled cases. Perhaps the most striking addition to the building will be the broad glass wall that provides panoramic views of Wyebrook’s pastures.
“Our humanely raised, antibiotic-free animals enjoy life here, and we want our guests to visit and learn more about the origin of their food before they take it home,” says Carlson who raises some of the finest heritage breeds of animals including Devon cattle and purebred Ossabaw pigs. “There’s no better way to do that than allowing people to see it all for themselves and I believe that having a personal connection with our food helps us to make better choices, both for our health and for the well-being of the planet.”
The products available at the Farm Market are determined by the natural, seasonal constraints of traditional farming, and offerings will change based on availability. Featured selections may be everything from farm-fresh eggs to a wide variety of meats including popular cuts such as T-Bone Steak, Pork Tenderloin and Chicken Breast as well as specialty cuts such as Oxtail, Pig’s Ear and Chicken Liver. A full list of products will be available online on Wyebrook’s website closer to the Farm Market’s opening.
On the lower level of the barn, Carlson created a multi-purpose, state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen. A few times a month the area’s top chefs will gather ingredients from the Farm Market and test their favorite recipes. Carlson also plans to offer tasting dinners several times a year when visitors can sit down for a meal prepared by Wyebrook’s Chef Janet Crandall. Finally, the chef’s kitchen will also function as a small, quick-serve operation, selling artisanal fare from one of the barn windows. Guests can enjoy light fare as they meander the picturesque grounds or relax at a table in the adjacent paved courtyard, which boasts sweeping views of the peaceful, bucolic landscape.
Since Carlson purchased the farm in March 2010, he has been working on extensive renovations to the property’s stone houses and barns. He has also initiated several eco-conscious improvements to the buildings and farm equipment, including: over 50Kw of solar panels that provide much of the farm’s electricity; the conversion of cooking oil into biodiesel to power the tractors and other vehicles; and a rainwater capture system that feeds a pond, which provides irrigation for the apple orchard and other landscaping. Restoration expert Jack Conti even came out of retirement to help ensure that the renovation of the three houses and two stone barns was historically accurate.
Today, the formerly foreclosed land, once slated for a 100+ house residential development, is a vibrant example of how grassroots agriculture can re-energize a community and lead the way for residents and visitors alike to make healthier choices in their diets. Carlson plans to eventually live on the farm full-time, converting one of the historic stone farmhouses into his permanent residence.
For more information about Wyebrook Farm, please call (610) 942-7481 or visit www.wyebrookfarm.com. You can also find Wyebrook on Facebook and on Twitter (@WyebrookFarm).
Photos credited to Wyebrook Farm.
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