Welcome to Ever Ready Farm: Our Journey to Heritage Conservation & Sustainability
Hello, and welcome to The Casual Conservationists! We’re Shana and Jared Burns, the husband-and-wife team behind Ever Ready Farm, a historic 1791 farmstead in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Our journey began with the restoration of two century-old homes in Philadelphia—one in Fishtown, the other in Mt. Airy—and has since evolved into something much greater: the purchase of a historic stone farmhouse and 4.8 acres of land.
Now, we’re working to restore its architectural integrity, rehabilitate the land, and honor the generations before us who built and maintained this farmstead.
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A Home & Farmstead Rooted in Heritage and Sustainability
The restoration of Ever Ready Farm is more than a renovation project. It’s an effort to preserve nearly two and a half centuries of history while ensuring this land remains healthy and productive for future generations.
Our work is guided by a commitment to:
• Restoring and preserving the 1791 stone b and grist mill history, ensuring its story continues to be told.
• Creating a home and farmstead that reflects both heritage and sustainability, blending traditional techniques with modern conservation efforts.
• Rehabilitating the land with thoughtful, sustainable practices, allowing the soil and ecosystem to thrive.
• Repairing and repurposing materials to restore its original character, honoring the craftsmanship of those who built it centuries ago.
• Building a future that respects the past, ensuring the farmstead’s history remains alive in a changing world.
Each project—whether it’s reinforcing the timbers of the barn, restoring centuries-old masonry, or nurturing new life on the land—is a step toward preserving what makes Ever Ready Farm truly special.
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From Urban Restoration to Rural Conservation
Our passion for historic preservation and sustainability didn’t begin with Ever Ready Farm—it’s deeply ingrained in our backgrounds.
Jared’s family farm in Iowa was passed down for generations, its history deeply woven into early American pioneering days. The original land deed, signed by President Zachary Taylor, stood as a testament to a long legacy of stewardship and perseverance. That legacy has profoundly shaped our own approach to restoration, conservation, and honoring the land.
For me, growing up outside Minneapolis, MN, farm life was never far away. My older sister has run a dairy farm for most of my life, and I spent countless hours visiting her family business—absorbing agricultural practices, conservation techniques, and the rhythm of farm living.
We both grew up witnessing the power of land stewardship, and that connection to the past continues to guide us today.
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A Historic Farmstead with Deep Roots
Before Ever Ready Farm became ours, it was known as Kumry Mill, a grist mill built in 1791 by Henrik and Barbara Roeder.
The mill played a vital role in early American agriculture, grinding grain into flour using water power—a process essential for feeding the growing local population. Over the years, the farmstead evolved but remained a cornerstone of the community. The area itself became known as Kumry, named after Aaron Kummerer, a later mill operator. For a time, it even had its own post office, which remained in operation until 1912.
Restoring this farmstead means preserving not just a home, but a piece of history—one that reflects the resilience, craftsmanship, and resourcefulness of those who came before us.
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Preserving the Past, Cultivating the Future
Our commitment to sustainability is not just about preserving buildings—it’s about restoring the land itself.
Since moving to the farm, we’ve been carefully rehabilitating the soil, forests, and surrounding ecosystem, ensuring that our impact is one of regeneration rather than depletion.
The work extends beyond the land. We’ve made it a priority to salvage and repurpose as much of the original farmstead materials as possible—from reclaimed wood beams to hand-cut stone—honoring the craftsmanship that has stood the test of time.
Every renovation decision is guided by a single question:
“How can we honor the past while creating a future that lasts?”
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Balancing Work, Family, and Restoration
By day, our work is in commercial real estate law and software engineering, but our hearts are in restoration and conservation.
Balancing a full-time career, a historic renovation, and raising two young daughters is no small feat. Yet, the joy of seeing our farmstead slowly return to life makes every challenge worthwhile.
Restoring Ever Ready Farm is a long-term project—one that will evolve over years, not months. And that’s exactly how it should be.
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Join Our Community: Learn, Share, and Grow with Us
If you love historic farmsteads, sustainable living, and preservation, we’d love to connect with you.
By subscribing to our newsletter, you’ll gain access to exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes restoration stories, and insights into homesteading, conservation, and land stewardship.
Our hope is that Ever Ready Farm becomes more than just our story—that it inspires others to restore, protect, and cherish the history around them.
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Stay Connected: Follow Our Restoration Journey
We invite you to follow along as we bring Ever Ready Farm back to life—one beam, one stone, and one story at a time.
📌 Instagram: [@everreadyfarmpa]
📌 Facebook: [Ever Ready Farm]
📌 Newsletter: [Coming soon]
🚜 Thank you for being part of our farm family! 🌱