Arts & Entertainment

The Country in Caledonia: The Grove Farm

The Grove farm has generations of dedication.

Editor's note: Country in Caledonia is a new weekly feature. The focus will be on the rural character of the community -- barns, farm families, and homemade goods. If you like this feature, feel free to pass it along to others. If you have any ideas for what you'd like to see featured here, send an email to denise.lockwood@patch.com.

I stopped at Robert Grove’s farm because I saw the giant quilt titled “Four Flags” painted on his barn. While speaking with him, I learned that he is a third generation farmer, and he was born on the farm where he resides today.

This spoke volumes about the lessons in dedication to me.   

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The Grove Farm, located at 8024 Nicholsen Rd., was built in 1902 and until 1960 was a dairy farm. After that it became the cattle farm it is today.

Robert says “the barn is in good condition for its age, it just needs a new coat of paint.” Since originally being built in 1902 with beams and pegs, the barn has only needed a new roof and that was only after a heavy storm. Other than the new roof, I’m sure Robert expects this barn to last through the future generations of the Groves yet to come.

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Being a cattle farmer, I asked Robert if he and his family ever got tired of eating beef, his response “do you?”

After that laugh, I began taking pictures of his cows and the rest of his property.

“Not to come off as an animal rights activist, but how do you deal with the whole bringing the cows to butcher?” I asked.

“It’s hard,” Robert said. “I almost hate it. I mean I spend time with them everyday while I feed them and clean their stall, then to see them go… But people have to eat, someone has to do it.”

And I was taken aback by how much heart this farmer puts into his “work.”


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