Just because a barn is finished its working life does not mean it should be torn down and it’s usable wood made into reclaimed wood flooring. There are other uses for old barns than just that! With a rustic appeal that is second to none and space aplenty old barns are prime space for living, working and partying.
A craft brewing movement is sweeping this nation. Small breweries are popping up everywhere and many open a restaurant alongside. In Maryland as well as other states farm brewing is becoming a popular business model as it allows the farmer another revenue stream and utilizes potentially empty space. Barns offer ample space for operations and also allow ample space for patrons to enjoy their product. One such example is Wyndridge Farms outside of Dallastown, Pennsylvania.
With farmland being turned into housing developments and strip malls it is refreshing that people still want to live on a farm. One such person is Dr. Steve Groff, an orthopedic surgeon, who wanted his children to grow up on a farm so he purchased the 76 acres of land from the Hoover family that they called Wyndridge Farms. (It also helped that Groff’s wife Julie’s mother went to highschool with one of the Hoovers). The idea of putting any sort of event space did not enter his mind until he was recovering from being hit by a motorist while out for a bicycle ride. While recovering he thought about life after his career and discusses it with his wife.
The Groffs purchased a winery license and began making hard ciders. They rehabilitated the barn and expanded with a craft brewery and restaurant. An event space was added later. Wyndridge Farms is now a mid-Atlantic destination and is giving a historic farm a second lease on life.
There are other craft breweries located in a barn. Battlefield Brew Works in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is another such local example as is Spring Gate outside of Harrisburg. It should be no surprise as a barn offers ample room for everything that goes with a brewery and a restaurant and the building is already there. No need to build one. Many craft breweries strive for a rustic feel, something that takes you back to a different era and how better to accomplish that than putting your brewery in a barn?
