BARN AT STARK FARMS

Barn at Stark Farms

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The Barn at Stark Farms is a historic 230+ year old hand hewn, post and beam barn that was professionally tagged and dismantled in New Hampshire in the summer of 2013, trucked to Odessa, Florida​ later that year and painstakingly reconstructed over the next two and a half years.

Circa 1700's

The barn was built in the late 1700’s on the Stark Family Farm in Dunbarton, New Hampshire. John Stark, a General in the Continental Army, and his son Caleb both served with distinction in the Revolutionary War. General John Stark and his New Hampshire militia fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill, then the battle of Bennington and other battles; he also reinforced General George Washington’s tattered army in Delaware. General Stark served on the panel for the court martial of Major Benedict Arnold who was subsequently hung for treason. General Stark also penned the state motto for New Hampshire “live free or die”. A portrait of General Stark hangs in the White House and was donated by Jacquelin Kennedy, wife of the late President John F Kennedy.

Circa 2014

The Barn at Stark Farms promotes Florida Agritourism. The farm is a 15 acre+/- parcel within Hillsborough County with agricultural rural zoning and a “greenbelt”, a necessary requirement for Florida Agritourism. Stark Farms is approximately one mile west of the Suncoast Highway on Lutz Lake Fern Road. The farm has full frontage on the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, a paved recreational biking, jogging and walking trail. The trail head for the Upper Tampa Bay Trail is adjacent to Stark Farms.The overarching theme of the Barn at Stark Farms will be “God, Family and Country” to inform children about America’s Judeo Christian beginnings, the importance of family and the sacrifices our forefathers made for liberty and religious freedom as well as an appreciation of American agriculture and its progress from colonial times.

Educate:

The Barn at Stark Farms educates  children through barn tours citing the history of the barn and its heroic builders, explaining the type of construction and use, and explanation and “hands on” use of early building equipment and techniques from the colonial era.

The Barn at Stark Farms contains antiques tools from New England and a library of Revolutionary War era books and maps for instruction and illustration. Colonial era men’s and women’s clothes will be available for photo shoots as personalized memorabilia of your visit.

The Barn at Stark Farms  offers family bonding and reconciliation and/or company retreats in historic and natural setting as a refreshing, relaxing contrast to urban hotel and meeting rooms.

The Barn at Stark Farms  holds events that  demonstrate on many kinds of arts and crafts including candle and soap making, braiding rugs, sewing techniques and caricature art, all showcasing the colonial era and the fascinating “hands on” skills of the unique people of revolutionary times.

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