06/16/2026
Some days there is the thought of pulling up the rain washed, bumpy gravel road in the late 60’s, and early 70’s to see an apple orchard still lining the old rail fence Daddy built.
We pile out of Nellie, our family W***y jeep, with picnic basket in Mama’s hand, … the massive garden growing with w**ds absolutely everywhere… and we sit under the apple tree by the rusty hay rake. We were young. We were together on the farm.
All sweating from summer heat, yet never say a word about it, take off through the fields to go get our horses, ride a ba****ck trott, then cool off at the cement pond, all while Daddy w**d eats around the barn with a scythe tool, and Mama spreads a blanket for sandwiches.
That barn. She was growing older with the rest of us… slowly while time was quickly passing. That barn knows it all in every season of life on the farm at Meredith Valley… before it had a logo… when the wormy chestnut days of a barn began. That barn was ours after The Taylors and The Lyons had their time in its being.
From 1965 till 2026, we have watched this seasoned barn share stories, be filled with animals of every kind, shelter hay, crawling snakes and chirping birds, murmurs containing the voices of friendship and family …
always finding a way to withstand weather, cousins hide and go seek, barn art, woodworking, sleep overs with newborn livestock, muckings, roasted marshmallows around a fire pit, Christmas pictures, Betsy’s home for 27 years, music, kindergarteners, and weddings.
This MV barn has lived a life of quietness, and fulfilled every dream possible. “The boys”, Leo and Martin, did a very caring job of planning her new sturdy life as she began to whither with time.
For that we honor her tonight through all the years of changes. This barn was fully restored in 2009 with the logo of MV, which was designed by Daddy, to became her signature vision of love… a deep growing love. Barns may change, memories never change.
Mama loved to go for rides in the country just looking at barns. We traveled many a road through her last years of life loving on old barns. Each ride had a purpose and a story. It took her heart back to many dates with Daddy just riding the roads doing the same. What a simple life as a farmer doing what was later curated to grow into Meredith Valley Farm.
Big red barns, oh how grateful we are, that this one holds all of our stories from the beginning to now.
Meredith Valley Barn we love you, and glad your heart is forever and a day ….. ours.
