We’ve had a number of inquiries about the farmhouse for rent. I’ve gathered all my responses and posted them below, hoping they will be helpful to others who have questions. Feel free to call 902-757-1640 after 6pm or email Jen at jenredfox at gmail.com. I’ve also posted a gallery of photos.
The house was built in 1865-ish. In the 80s, former owners added on to it in order to accommodate a growing family. Around 2000 we re-did the kitchen with new windows, flooring etc. We are just installing a new electric counter-top stove. There are 5 bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as the large kitchen and lots of socializing space. I lived in the house for 15 years and found it to be a bit cold in the winter. To that end, we are insulating the house this fall. We just had an energy audit done and got advice about insulating etc. Right now my parents are doing some painting in the house. It has been a very long time since it has been painted!
The house is available starting in July, and if someone wants to move in, we hope they wouldn’t mind a bit of minor disruption in the fall while the house is being insulated with blown-in cellulose.
There are some electric baseboard heaters and plug-in heaters as well as a wood stove. We removed the furnace many years ago when it reached the end of its life.
In terms of costs, there is a lovely drinking water well that supplies the house, so no charge for water. Normally people use about 5 cords of wood for heating, and wood runs about $180 per cord. I suspect the insulation and other changes will reduce that cost somewhat, but it is hard to predict. The electricity bill for the last couple that lived in the house was between $100-$200 per month (more in the winter). We have a small electric water heater installed, and if there will be a lot of people in the house, we may have to install a larger tank (which we are happy to do). We are planning to charge $800/month for rent plus $400 damage deposit.
The farm property is nice for walks and in winter, cross-country skiing, sledding etc. The property is 100 acres and borders on a tidal river. There is a deep swimming pond full of springs. The farm is being used to grow vegetables commercially and you can find out more about it from the website (abundant-acres.com). There are three houses on the farm in a cluster. My husband David and I live in one, our friend and helper Bruce lives in another. There are many mature shade trees on the property, along with a large yard (and garden space) flowering shrubs, nut trees, fruit trees, ponds, and trails through the woods. Further away there are two large barns. One we use for farm storage (hay, equipment, some livestock etc), the other is rented to a carpenter (Robert) who lives in the upper loft sometimes, has a shop, and also does a bit of gardening. He raises honeybees and produces honey for sale.
The farm is situated one hour from Halifax, or Truro, and about 45 minutes from Wolfville. The nearest little town is Brooklyn with a credit union, bakery, gas stations, hardware, post office, pizza, stores etc. The immediate community is quite rural, but it is hard to feel isolated. I love the community, especially the Hall, Health Centre, School, and many friends that live within a bike ride away. I am involved in a singing group, but there are also exercise groups, fire hall, churches, and other reasons to gather. There are a string of beaches along our Shore, with many fishing and swimming spots. I feel very safe and comfortable in the community.
Pets are allowed, but we raise livestock, so we’d have to work out any animal relations so everyone is happy. It is the larger light yellow house in the photo that is for rent. There is high-speed internet available from Eastlink. My husband and I use Telus and tether our cell phones to the computer when we go on-line. The nearest library is in Windsor, and it is very nice. There is a great elementary school about 10 minutes’ drive from the farm. The middle school is in Brooklyn, about 15 minutes drive. The high school is in Windsor. It is 25 minutes away. There is a school bus that takes the students to school. It would pick up any students living here in front of the house.
