The Staines family built the house in 1877. Several generation of this family lived on the farm over the years. The Staines worked on the limekiln delivering stone to a variety of places by horse drawn carriages. Part of the limekiln still is visible across Rt. 31 A. The farm consisted of over 200 acres but through the course of time the acres were divided. The road changed course and owners sold off sections.
In 1979, Jerry decided to sell the house he built in Hamlin and move further out in the country. He wanted space and an old country farm. Well he sure got that. The house needed a lot of work, the out buildings were a shambles and the lawn was all over grown. With his purchase came 50 acres some of which was crop farmed at the time.
He began by siding the house, roofing everything and finding the yard. As he labored, he was working full time at Kodak. A co-worker was a Christmas tree farmer and Jerry entertained the idea of planting trees. In 1980 George came out and they began to plant one field at a time. In 1986, he began to harvest the fruits of his labor. In the first year, there were 25 trees to sell in front of the barn.
Fifteen years later Jerry’s claim to fame is he has done everything wrong possible and tried to learn for those mistakes. Now the farm has 30,000 trees and 35 acres all groomed and pruned. He prunes the trees, fertilizes, mows and each is a work of art. In the small barn, there is a gift shop where you can have a homemade cookie and a hot cup of cocoa or coffee. Jerry’s wife Carol is there to greet you and invite you to browse through the many hand painted gift items on display. As you look out you will see Jerry driving the old tractor with another wagonload of people going out to find the “perfect tree”. It is a warm place full of laughter and cheer with the Culhane’s sharing the fruits of their labor.
