Firefly SEE VIDEO
Farm
“This is the first time I’ve sat down and actually chronicled the Firefly Journey. It’s been a little overwhelming but I hope my words paint a picture of the project and all that went into it. Yourself and so many others encouraged and contributed to this dream and there’s no way we could have completed it within the time frame that we did without your help. I’m still amazed that you, someone who didn’t even know us, went to such lengths to encourage and contribute your resources to the success of this project. You’re a “Firefly” (explanation to follow).” Patty Walker Firefly Farms”
My husband Wade and I moved from an 80 acre ranch in San Patricio, Texas to New Braunfels, Texas. Born and raised in Corpus Christi, that’s the only home we’d ever known and quite frankly, never thought we’d leave. But, doors opened, new opportunities arose and here we are. We’ve spent over 33 years in the Auto Auction Industry. We are blessed to be a family owned and operated business with all of our children working along side us. The first 5 years in New Braunfels were spent building the San Antonio Auction and commuting back and forth to the Corpus Christi location. Those were stressful and sometimes scary times but we had no doubt we were doing what we were supposed to be doing. A very wise person once told me “do not doubt in the darkness what God told you in the light”.
I repeated those words often! And, of course, He was faithful. While living in Corpus, we often hosted special events and loved it. To be able to be a part of helping families make memories and celebrate together was always a wonderful experience and we missed it. So, since things were running smoothly on the auction front we decided to begin looking for some property to host such events again. We weren't in a big hurry at the beginning of the search, but all of that changed when Payton, the baby of the family, got engaged to Dylan in February of 2016. At first, we were looking for a dual purpose property...a place for the guys to hunt and a place for me to host special events. Not having much luck, and the new marriage proposal inspired us to change directions. One Saturday morning, my husband said, “Why don’t we just look for some smaller acreage to host special events and it would be nice if we could find something with a barn already built on it.� I immediately went on the internet and entered my search criteria; acreage, counties, budget and barn. Only one property popped up and it had a big red barn on the front page! Arrangements were made to see it the following day. So, after church on Sunday the whole family headed to Wimberley to see the property. It was love at first sight.
I’m so thankful that I was introduced to Jesus when I was a child and I can honestly say that I’ve always felt His presence in my life. And, although I know He has all of the answers that I need to life’s questions, sometimes I can hear some clearer and with more certainty that others. There have been times in my life, when I had questions about a decision or a person, and it’s like in those moments there’s a light highlighting the person or a situation. An undeniable attraction, as if God has a spotlight on them and He’s instructing me in the way I should go. I felt it when I fell in love with my husband, I felt it when we saw the new business for sale in San Antonio and so many others. I also felt it when I first saw the big red barn. I call them “Firefly Moments”. And those special people who come along beside us, and help light the way, “Fireflies”. Deciding on the name was the easiest part.
Firefly Farm officially became ours in April of 2016. The property is 27.48 acres of oak-juniper woodland with scattered open pastures and beautiful sunsets, located in the beautiful, Texas Hill country between Wimberley and Blanco,Texas. The Big Red Barn consisted of a 1,667 sq. foot, 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment that was fully finished. Below, an additional 1,100 sq ft of space included a separate office and a kitchen. Adjacent to that, the barn itself, a 4,000 square foot of slab with 18’ foot ceilings and an unfinished interior with exposed wiring and plumbing.
Also, near the center of the property, a 2,000 sq ft, unfinished building constructed of massive limestone bricks that was previously inhabited by a family of goats! The previous owner had already put a lot of heart into the property but had to sell due to unexpected difficulty. We had a great start but had a long way to go. The first wedding would take place October 1, 2016. We had a little over 5 months to get it all done. The first project on my list was “The Barn�. From the moment I walked into the open, unfinished space, I knew what I wanted to do. The barn would need to be enlarged to include a stage and bathrooms. French doors and windows would be added for light and accessibility. The walls would be covered with rustic old barn wood and the ceilings would be rusted tin. The cement floors would need to be stained as well.
After the needed additions, the barn was now almost 6,000 square feet and I soon learned that it was not easy finding that much square footage of old barn wood and rusted tin. Even if I did, the cost looked to be enormous. I even considered buying wood and faux painting it myself! I just couldn’t envision the space any other way. Disappointed but not defeated, I continued searching. And then, I came across a product called, “Windswept”; a milled wood that replicated aged barn wood. I contacted the company and was very surprised to receive a call from Glen Ehrhardt, the founder and CEO of Harvest Specialty Products. Glen asked me about the project and seemed genuinely interested and excited about what we were doing. He informed me that he would look at their current inventory and get back to me. In a very short period of time we were presented with a quote and the lumber was delivered. And it was a huge load! Boy, am I glad I didn’t decide to DYI! Glen worked with us every step of the way; making recommendations and checking in. We even had to re-order midway through the project and received the same degree of excellence in service and customer care. That’s what impressed me the most, he really seemed to care. The barn turned out beautiful! The Windswept product is amazing! Our trim carpenters had no difficulty installing it and it looks exactly like real weathered barn wood! It really defined the personality and atmosphere of the project and turned out even more amazing than I imagined. We loved the product so much, we also decided to use it on the outdoor Chapel and additional building products on the Farm. Thank you, Glen. Even though we’ve never met face to face, we consider you a friend. You contributed to a very special moment in our family’s life and I know that there will be many other beautiful memories made at The Firefly with your product as the back drop.
Thought I’d leave you with all that was accomplished in 5 months with kind and talented people as yourself. Writing it all down just seems unreal but here it is. Two store rooms in the barn dominium were converted into a one bedroom with a bath and a brides room with a bath. The downstairs kitchen/office area was updated to accommodate catering. 2,000 square feet was added to the barn to include a stage, bar area, his and her
bathrooms,
windows and doors. Windswept product was used to cover the walls. We (including me) hand rusted almost 300 pieces of cold rolled tin and applied to the ceiling. Sliding barn doors and antique doors were refinished and hung in designated spaces. Sixteen Crystal Chandeliers were hung and cement floors were stained. Complete heating and air had to be installed in the barn. Because of the additions, the standing seam roof had to be completely re-done. And of course, painting. We also had to acquire a new electrical transformer and septic system to accommodate the added load. An outdoor Chapel was constructed using, the Windswept siding on the exterior. I refinished antique doors and windows for the exterior and another chandelier was installed inside. (It looks beautiful with the light streaming through the doors and windows at night.) A three bay garage with attached green room for entertainers was built to look like an old gas station. Again, we applied the windswept product, old tin and antique signs and memorabilia to the exterior. The old Lime Stone structure was refinished to serve as the Grooms Quarters. We added a bathroom, kitchen and closet.
We were able to salvage the old wood floor by re-scraping and applying stain and sealer. Added Antler chandeliers. I refinished antique doors for exterior. Had to add plumbing, heating and air conditioning. We had 6 country cottages built and furnished for overnight accommodations. We built an outdoor bar/gathering area, also with your great product. We refinished 12 old wine barrels and made tops for them to serve as cocktail tables. We poured asphalt to roads and constructed a parking lot with striping and lighting. We purchased a 1957 Chevy pick-up to transport the groomsmen from the Grooms Quarters to the ceremony site (Father of the groom driving, groom in the passenger seat, and groomsmen in the back). Signage had to be made. My favorite is the Silo with Firefly Farm placed at the entrance to the property. The last thing to do was pour side-walks, install up lighting and landscaping. One week before the wedding the skies opened up and put a delay on completing the landscaping. Literally the last of the landscaping was completed the day before the wedding. In addition to all of this we had to plan a wedding for 400 guests! But, it was all worth it. Yes, it was hard work but it turned out more wonderful than we could have ever hoped for. The day was absolutely beautiful. It misted just a little that morning and then God provided a beautiful rainbow just in time for the ceremony! So now, we no longer have any money...lol! I expect to be officially open to the public by February. Working on web site, logo, contracts, etc. I personally like the building part more but it has to be done.
“Thanks again Glen for everything. Your
product, service, character and kindness have blessed us more than you know. I pray that you, your family and business have a very blessed year.” Sincerely,, Wade and Patty Walker
Glen Ehrhardt -‐ Founder, CEO Harvest Timber Specialty Products PO Box 59 Lakebay, WA 98349 p. (253) 884-‐6255 f. (253) 884-‐6256 email: windsweptwood@gmail.com porJolio hLp://harvest-‐Omber.com/porJolio/: web site: www.Harvest-‐Timber.com