Building Dundee Farm
We bought land in October of 1998…a beautiful meadow and hillside in Oak Valley, Sedalia, Colorado. For the next two years we designed our farm: house, barn, site design, fencing, grading, and all of the details that would make a home for us and our alpacas.
We started the work on a September morning in 2000. When we were ready
to backfill the foundation and do the initial gradin
g in October, Hugh
went down to our land to meet the builder and his crew. Hugh wrote:
October 17, 2000
Sedalia , Colorado
Met with Chris and his crew at 9:00 a.m. on site.
Bingo was there with his front-end loader and Pat with his Deere crawler fitted with a couple of rippers.
Backfill time.
The autumn colors were magnificent. The reds and yellows and all of the colors in between contrasted with the brilliant blue Colorado Autumnal sky.
Instant decisions came on fast - about this grade and that slope - that will impact this homestead forever, long after Sara Jane and I are gone from this world. What a responsibility. I have built thousands of houses for other people, but to build our own home and farm is the most exciting experience. And the most serious; for we decided to purchase this land, to create something of our own with the idea of leaving a legacy. Now we have an obligation to follow through and produce something exceptional; a legacy that people will appreciate forever. A legacy where people in the future will say, “these people tried to make the most of this beautiful land and we appreciate their efforts.” Quite a responsibility.
So we moved the dirt today and there was that magnificent scent of virgin earth being disturbed just like when we broke ground a month ago. What right have we to break ground, to change this land from the way God created it? We have no right, but at least we have put our thought and our love and our passion into creating something that we believe will be exceptional. Our actions are not callous, but thoughtful.
We trust that we are right.
Now, ten years later, we have lived here through many seasons.
It is truly a beautiful place. Our home, barns, and garage look like
they have been here for ages. Our alpacas graze in the meadow, the
barn is their safe haven, and they are safe within our perimeter and
paddock fences. The house is nestled into the hillside among the scrub
oak and is bright and comfortable not only for us but also our many
guests. We have built our south garden and it is a delight. We still have much work to do.
The possibilities are endless. We think we have done it right. Please come visit and see for yourself.
