Turtle Creek Farm

Turtle Creek Farm is the former home of environmental and author Ted Browning. Browning published a series of articles in the Kennett Paper in 1986 and 1987. In 1991, these articles were collected and published by the Brandywine Conservancy in the book, Ted Browning: Notes from Turtle Creek. Each chapter describes a natural phenonemon Browning observed on his family farm or around the familar places of Chester County. Amish barn builder Steve Stolfus revived the traditional Chester County bank barn. Many said it was far too gone to save. Ted built the A frame house in 1985 and called it "The Solution". Bank barns get their name from a simple but clever construction technique: the barn is built into the side of a hill, allowing for two levels to be entered from the ground. The lower side housed animals, the upper levels served as a thrashing floor and storage. The hillside entrance gave easy access to wagons bearing wheat or hay.