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THE TOAD HILL FARM

History (continued)

Roughly around this same time, the present day farmhouse was built, along with the main barn, allowing the house on the hill to become a 'summer' house. The original barn was abandoned in favor of the larger barn, which was recently highlighted in the book Preserving Old Barns by John Foster and Franklin Gilman (2001) as a fine example of a 'bank' barn.

Joe Fobes Sr's son, also named Joe, took over the farm from his father, and created a covenant with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the first such covenant in the state. This agreement declared that the farm was never to be subdivided and it would remain a 'working' farm. This was Joe Fobes' way of resisting development and the loss of farm land long after he was gone.

In 1978, Fobes sold the property to Chester Martin, along with the covenant which remains in perpetuity. Four years later, Richard and Letitia Burwell purchased the 'summer' house with 3 acres on the hill from Martin. The surrounding farm land remained in Martin's possession until1985, when the Burwells purchased the remaining 368 acres. Since then, the Burwells have acquired several adjacent pieces of land, increasing the acreage to almost 600 acres. It remains a working farm, with Mandy and Gene Young (their daughter and son-in-law) maintaining the covenant and reclaiming the work of those before them. The Youngs were married here in 2000 and have, since then, hosted weddings. It is their desire to share this beautiful and unique spot with others wishing a special location for their momentous occasion.

Professional and Beautiful

Dependable service is at the foundation of every great Toad Hill Farms event. Our dedicated and detail-oriented venue staff guarantee the success of your special occasion by providing personalized Wedding Planning services that meet and exceed expectations. Toad Hill Farms elevates any event with a variety of Wedding Planning options to perfectly complement your celebration.

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