The Stonework of Bedford
It’s no secret that I love a good building project and that I pay close attention to every detail. I really appreciate when things are built well and when I bought my farm in Bedford, I hired excellent trades people to turn my dreams into reality, including wall builders and stonemasons. I decided to do something different on my blog and focus on some of the amazing stonework that makes my farm such a solid place.
1 This area of the farm is called the stone yard, where extra inventory of the many types of stones used at the farm are kept - slate shingles, marble flooring, granite posts, etc.
2 Much stonework went into the construction of my stable.
3 The stable itself and its two outer buildings were built from granite quarried in Vermont.
4 A detail of one of the four arched doorways with the all-important keystone at top center
5 The roof of the stable is shingled with slate, also quarried in Vermont.
6 The courtyard is paved with old cobblestones that once lined the streets of Elizabeth, New Jersey. They were originally used as ballast on old wooden cargo ships.
7 The cobblestones are neatly laid with plenty of stone dust in between.
8 I had collected a few antique granite millstones and chose to center this one in the courtyard.
9 When I bought my property, I hired a crew to enclose it behind this very long stone wall. It's very well-made from field stones and I love its rustic look.
10 The entrance gate with matching stone pillars capped with antique garden ornaments
11 This is the block foundation of my main house.
12 The same masonry is reflected along the terrace garden.
13 And on the chimney
14 And around the parking area
15 And on this tiered wall leading away from the main house
16 One of two matching columns outside my front door
17 Inside, my kitchen floor is gray marble, which was cut from stone taken from a house I once owned on Long Island.
18 The walls of my stone terrace
19 Another antique millstone is a focal point of the terrace.
20 The massive bluestone steps leading up to the terrace
21 And its massive wall
22 Across from the terrace is a giant mounting block that my stone mason found for me.
23 One of many stone paths planted with creeping thyme and succulents
24 Several years ago, I acquired many antique granite posts from China and I have used them throughout the farm design. Here they support Gravenstein apple trees.
25 And here they support four long rows of apple espalier.
26 Granite posts are the uprights on my long, winding pergola.
27 A 'broken glass' bluestone path in the fashion of the Skylands terrace
28 Down near the greenhouse, granite posts support my berry bushes.
29 More raspberries
30 The headhouse of the greenhouse also has impressive stonework.
31 Granite uprights are part of the shade pergola.
32 There is an extensive underground drainage system and all of the openings are covered with rectangles of bluestone, like this one.
33 Belgium block line the garden beds along the driveway.
34 The garden adjacent to the parking area has an added Belgium block design.
35 Another stone path
36 A stonework surround for an airconditioning unit
37 Another mounting block near the stable - This one, I brought from my home on Turkey Hill.
38 The fieldstone foundation of the equipment barn
39 There is even stonework at the chicken coops!
40 Like the stable, the roof of each little house is shingled with slate.
41 And granite posts support the shade pergola at the tennis court.
42 Let's not forget about some of the original stonework around the farm.
43 Old stone walls meander throughout.
44 Stone walls were built as farmers cleared fields for farming. Stones were unearthed and used to border the field.
45 The period from 1775 - 1825 was known as the golden age of stone wall building. Stone walls were used as fencing, property lines, and animal pounds.
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Martha, this is an excellent blog! I had never thought of those things before. You start things from their very basic structures. Very informative and interesting.
Posted by: BarbaraDelcore | June 17th, 2011 at 12:40 am
I can still remember the feeling of the cobblestone at Versailles.
Posted by: BluBabesCreate | June 17th, 2011 at 1:04 am
What an interesting blog!!!! I, too, like rocks, and have been collecting them for years, but I don't have anything like you do.
If I ever get my old house made livable, and get to move, some how, or another, I hope to take all of my rocks to use for flowers beds and low walls.
My old house is located near a rock quarry, and sits on a bedrock of granite, but...there aren't that many rocks just sitting around waiting for me. My son said they were all picked up nearly 200 years ago and made into terraces in the fields.
Thanks for showing all your things made with the rocks and stones.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria Herring | June 17th, 2011 at 1:09 am
Absolute great photos to inspire those of us who love stonework. Checking out new comic book that tells of "Female Force: Martha Stewart," a one-shot issue from Bluewater Productions Inc. to be sold in comic book shops, bookstores and online, will focus on how Stewart rose to become of the nation's best-known purveyors of home decor, cooking and confident but practical living.
Posted by: ann | June 17th, 2011 at 3:42 am
I read your blog every day, but this blog post was extraordinary. Beautiful and inspirational as always.
Even though we all may not have the money to do all these projects - it's the attention to detail that is a lesson for us all. Hiding the AC is just perfection. The walls are incredible as is the entire stable area.
Do you have any pic's of the farm from when you bought it originally? It might be nice to see before and afters...
Posted by: stephanie | June 17th, 2011 at 3:45 am
Your pictures are fantastic. But seeing your farm in person is priceless. As you walk around you can see how so much love and thought went into it. It is the most beautiful prooperty I have ever had the privilege of seeing up close and personal. I keep saying you should publish a book of your photographs. I wonder if the new owners kept things the same at Turkey Hill. That too, was beautiful.
Posted by: Karen Tracy | June 17th, 2011 at 7:16 am
Martha, you are a stone mason's dream! What beautiful trade work is on display throughout your farm. I especially enjoyed your application of millstones throughout your property. It is so emblematic of your talent to think of a way to use such a humble utilitarian item in design. I also had never seen mounting blocks before and enjoyed that too. Thanks for continuing to highlight excellence in the trades.
Posted by: Karen | June 17th, 2011 at 7:27 am
Pennsylvania is the same...we have some beautiful stone from original PA quarries..I know that I am home when I am driving around in awe of the architecture made with it...thanks for sharing these photos!
Posted by: Teresa Touey | June 17th, 2011 at 7:41 am
that was a good blog entry. i appreciate the work that went into making those stone structures.
Posted by: darrell white | June 17th, 2011 at 8:12 am
Martha, thanks so much for sharing the great details of your stonework at Bedford! I am hoping that you have enough details and pictures that you might do a book about the reconstruction of Bedford, similar to your New Old House at Turkey Hill.
Posted by: Brian | June 17th, 2011 at 9:09 am
I love all the stonework at your home. I am in love with the stable area. It is an amazing stable so perfect for your beautiful horses.
Thank you for posting these photos!
Posted by: Julie | June 17th, 2011 at 9:14 am
Fascinating post today, Martha. Lots of great detail! Thank you!
Posted by: Andrew Ritchie | June 17th, 2011 at 9:29 am
Hi Martha, Thank you so much for this fantastic blog post about your beautiful Bedford farm!I am so impressed with the beautiful construction of the stonework all over the farm as well as the beautiful homes you reconstructed before you moved there in 2005! The stone walls, the entrance to your farm, the granite structures, the slate roofs, the terraces, etc. are absolutely the best I've ever seen! You sure had great ideas about what you wanted built and you certainly picked the right people to do the job. Everything continues to look stunning and this tour was one of the best! The inside of the buildings look superb, also and sweet little Sharkey looks comfortable on your kitchen flooring! Thank you also for the wonderful twitpics about your trip to Korea, Malaysia, and wherever you roam in that part of Asia! The Daily Wag is finally back online so will check it out again! Have a wonderful day and weekend-look forward to seeing you back home again! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | June 17th, 2011 at 9:33 am
Such a lot of history behind each of the photos you have shared. Not to mention the work involved. Extraordinary. How does one 'acquire' chinese granite posts from China?
They are perfect.
Of note: 1) Did you know that you can use a thin flat piece of slate rock as a cooking utensil over a campfire? Hot dogs are great
2) When gardening, on a cool early morning, I sometimes heard the farmers in the field next to us speaking in low voices as they picked stones and tossed them into the front-end loader of the tractor. They would then move them to locations, similar to photo 44/45. Thank you again!
Posted by: Louise McCallum | June 17th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Hi Martha,
This is a must-read blog even for those who don’t follow you because I’m sure some people think that all you do is cook and bake pies and cakes! Attention to detail is putting it mildly, you are an absolute genius and you dream big. Of course, we already know that but even Jens Jensen would be in awe! I saw a few pictures of that property before you made improvements and when you finished, I remember wondering where some of the buildings had been hid in the earlier pictures. Now I know they weren’t there to begin with like the stables for instance and equipment barn, etc. I am going to be thinking about this blog for some time – I am so impressed! Thanks. Trish
Posted by: Trish | June 17th, 2011 at 10:04 am
A+ blog! Wow no other word comes to mind! Thank you.
Posted by: Annie C | June 17th, 2011 at 10:11 am
Dear Martha,
Travelling as I have, visiting homes and homesteads open to the public, I have often come across stories where giants of industry hired the very best local builders, masons, woodworkers, and other artisans with two purposes in mind: to achieve quality results and to keep them employed during the very darkest and most desparate economic times. I know you are a discerning consumer and they have to earn your trust and endorsement, but thank you for your enormous contribution to the betterment of quality of life and to the economy.
Posted by: Bobbie | June 17th, 2011 at 10:56 am
I love rocks and stonework..and the materials throughout your farm are stunning! I always like to have rocks and stones in my gardens. I like the natural and rugged aspect of it. How funny that you got the cobblestone from Elizabeth, NJ. That's my hometown, and remember some nearby streets being cobblestone. Could be that some were from those streets.
Posted by: Judy | June 17th, 2011 at 11:02 am
I come from a deep soil area. Building pasture fences were simple because the post holes never had to be beat out of rock. When I talk to ranchers in rocky areas I marvel at their abilities to string up a wire and post fence (for miles).
And then in Kansas they used rock posts like you show coming from China. That too is amazing living in an area without trees for fence posts.
We all should appreciate the labor and skills needed to contain animals from destroying a row crop or escaping into the large unknown.
Posted by: Margie | June 17th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
I simply love rocks and stone! Sometimes I will see a rock on the side of a road , or a building site, stop my car and throw it in the trunk, take is home and find a place for it in the garden. Your stonework is absolutely incrediable. Love the millstone, etc. but the stable is to die for!
Posted by: Frances | June 17th, 2011 at 2:23 pm
You take such beautiful photos of all your homes. You should compile them into a "coffee table book".
Posted by: Jan | June 17th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Beautiful photographs, but these aren't Cobblestones, they're "Setts", also known as Belgian Blocks. Cobblestones are smaller and rounded.
Posted by: Christopher Hatch | June 17th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
I have never seen a roof shingled with slate. I am sure this must last for years and years, looks much nicer than even steel roofing!
Posted by: sue Woznuk | June 17th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
What a lovely blog today Martha - tho' all your blogs are informative.
)
~
Can't help thinking what a wonderful time my dad (a stone mason by trade) would have had wondering your farm and inspecting all the very professional stone work.
~
I think I can speak for everyone and say we all wish we lived at your place!
Posted by: Donna | June 17th, 2011 at 6:02 pm
You know what I would love to see? Id love to see photo before Martha did all this work to the farm then compare it to today. What an amazing amount of work has been done.
Beautiful pictures, as always.
Posted by: Mona C | June 17th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
It is hard to get my mind around all the stone work.... I do not have any concept of how long you have been at this property. Stone work and buildings take time.... heck each of the "gardens" takes at least a year to come to fruitation... I am counting on a book - coffee table or library table - size what ever it takes to document this property.... would be great if it comes while I can still "focus". At any rate I will continue to enjoy your projects.
Posted by: Susan | June 17th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Martha, The photos of your stone courtyard have always captivated me, but I had no idea that you had so much of the stonework built on your farm since you purchased the property. It looks like it has always been there, which I guess is the highest compliment! I moved from SE PA and certainly miss all those stone walls and structures that beautified the area, and as you put it, gave everything such a "solid" feel. You must derive enormous satisfaction knowing that the quality work you and your staff have completed will be there for future generations to enjoy. Excellent photos and blog! Thank-You for sharing.
Posted by: Mary K. | June 17th, 2011 at 10:55 pm
Love your stone work. Reminds me of what I might see if I were in Ireland. Does your farm have a woods on it? We live in one, love waking up to the birds. Sitting out in the mornings with my coffee and listening to my rooster (Johnny) sing hello to the morning. Thanks for sharing your home with us. Bye.
Posted by: Debora Herman | June 18th, 2011 at 12:29 am
Such incredible craftsmanship & artistry. I've long had a love & appreciation for stone. The timing of these pictures - Fathers' Day weekend is perfect. My late husband built two PA red stone curved retaining walls, flanked by flagstone capped lamp lit pillars, at our first home. He worked on weekends & weeknights for over a year under the tutelage of my grandfather - and a great comaraderie was also built. We spent many weekends taking turns gathering stone from building sites - just the right stones - they had to be Grandfather approved. Both great men are gone now and I still drive past that house to look at the walls. We are fortunate to have alot of beautiful stone work here. It is a significant part of what makes that quintessential "Bucks County drive" so special. Thank you Martha!
Posted by: Patty Goldbach | June 18th, 2011 at 11:45 am
The most gorgeous blog yet!!! I am a certified "rock nut" too, and this was dessert! Love, love, love your dry walls, and cobbles or setts, they are exquisite. A book would be a wonderful thing to see. May you continue to astound us with your dedication to permanence and beauty.
Posted by: Jan B | June 18th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Martha you will leave a beautiful legacy.Your farm and the improvements you have made will last for generations. I know I speak for so many of your fans when I thank you for sharing your very beautiful personal residence with us - not many people of your caliber will do that. We love it and hope to be able to keep sharing the beauty you create. Everything you do is magnificent.
Posted by: Leah | June 18th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Your Farm in Bedford has amazing stone work I recently landscaped my mothers back yard in the foot hills of Fresno Ca, in doing so we uncovered enough river rock to have her driveway redone. I was very impressed with the work that was done by the professional stone workers we used. My mother credits you Martha for her inspiration on redoing the driveway. And I have to say you have been my inspiration with everything.
Posted by: Michael Conley | June 18th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
What a fascinating post! Thank you.
We had a long stone wall built last Fall by one of the old stone mason families in this part of Utah. To watch them select the rocks from the piles for placement was a privilege, and seeing completed the wall gives me much pleasure.
Posted by: Cory | June 19th, 2011 at 12:36 am
What a gorgeous house! I love it!
Posted by: Paula | June 19th, 2011 at 11:20 am
I love the historical pieces. You always celebrate the past and current. You are a joy. I noticed some of your trees have ivy growing up them. I love the look. I wondered if you have an opinion about growing ivy to a certain height, or if the ivy needs to be controlled at all?
Posted by: Jean | June 19th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
These are the kind of blog posts & pictures that I love! Amazing craftsmanship that most people don't demand or appreciate.
Posted by: Evie Lucas | June 19th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
I'm just curious if the home you referenced (formerly owned on Long Island and the source of the floor stone) was the Bunshaft House?
Posted by: Wayne M | June 19th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Love the stone work!
While on a trip through Napa recently two vineyards had some VERY exciting ideas in stone....
Matlock Ames Vineyards had amazing V ditches lined in stone, and Ehlers Estate had raised garden beds made of stone..... Just in case your stone men get bored I have pictures!
Both are ideas i hope to implement one day.
Posted by: Jill | June 20th, 2011 at 11:01 am
It's not often that I find myself feeling jealous, but seeing your beautiful homes and landscapes I find myself saying I will never have a "Martha Stewart" home or kitchen. Don't get me wrong, I love my life, but WOW, awesome way to live, just beautiful!! You have earned it!!
Posted by: sarah | June 22nd, 2011 at 1:46 am
Love the pictures of the old stone walls from the "golden age'. I climbed many similar walls in nearby Putnam Valley where I grew up. Thank you for the pictures, though they make me homesick!
Posted by: Starr | June 23rd, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Thanks for sharing. You should feel free to contact us at any time for granite - we'd be happy to help you select natural granite for steps, posts or many other applications around your estate. All of our granite is local from New York's lower Hudson Valley.
Posted by: Legacy Stoneworks | June 29th, 2011 at 4:28 pm