Our Shepherd's Hut

I've always been intrigued by quaint and simple things from history. The historic Shepherd's Hut first caught my attention in a British home-buying show called "Escape to the Country" a few years back. In the show, the property owners had renovated an old Shepherd's Hut for use as a rental in what is commonly called "glamping" in the UK.

 

"The image as a whole was that of a small Noah's Ark...the hut stood on little wheels about a foot from the ground."

​

-Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd, 1874 (an English Classic)

 

There have been written accounts of Shepherd's Huts as far back as the late 1400s but they became a very familiar sight in rural England by the 1800s. They were the Victorian solution to convenient shelter for herdsmen. By the 1970s most huts had been abandoned and left to ruin as industrial farming practices took over.

 

Today in England, as I mentioned above, the humble Shepherd's Hut is making a comeback! They are now highly sought after as antiques and many have been restored for use as vacation rentals, home offices, or quaint summer houses. It is also quite easy to have one built in the UK...not so here-more on that later! Anyway, shepherd's huts are now in high demand by "glampers", adventurers, and historians alike.

 

So as I thought about what to do with our property to create an uncommon but intriguing place to come and experience, I knew that a shepherd's hut just had to be part of it! (Did I mention my British heritage? So I am actually the first of my family to be born on US soil, before that there was Canada and England, and in England on a farm no less! ) So we began with the flower fields and began the process of building the hut soon after. We soon realized that the "simple" shepherd's hut was not so simple here. The rounded roof, which has been used for many centuries in the UK, really threw the builders here for a loop! We were able to finally find a brave construction crew to proceed and get the shell of the hut and all of the hookups completed. We then had a bit of a hiccup with the young couple that we hired to do the inside...we had to have that all ripped out and re-finished by a different crew and ourselves. Anyway, it is now complete and I dare say adorable!! I am very happy with it!

 

Our hope is that our Shepherd's Hut guests will be able to come to the flower farm, relax and unwind, and be inspired by their surroundings. I hope they will be able to connect with God, nature, and the loved ones they visit with. My hope is that they will leave our farm in a better place than when they arrived, full of joy, peace, and hope!