Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop/Ajello's Farm (691 Oxford Road (Rte 67), Oxford (Western Uplands))

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

Barn I:

The main barn is a 2 1/2-story gambrel-roofed ground level stable bank barn. Its ridgeline is oriented north-south across the slope of the hill. The lower level is entered at the gable-ends. The north gable-end opens to grade with a wide door flanked by nine-pane stable windows. in the upper part of the attic there are two hopper windows. The south gable-end connects with an attached 1-story pole barn and has a pair of nine-pane windows in the attic. The east eave-side has a row of stable windows and an exposed concrete foundation. The west eave-side is banked into the hill and has a tall dormer with a large doorway opening to the grade at the uphill side. Siding is horizontal wood lap siding painted white and some vinyl. Roofing is metal panels on the west side and asphalt on the east, both green. The roof has two metal ventilators.

Shed I:

A 1-story gable-roofed shed, probably the milk room, is a free-standing structure east of Barn I, near the center of the east side. Its ridge-line is oriented east-west, perpendicular to the barn. It has a concrete foundation, horizontal wood clapboard siding, asphalt roofing, and nine-pane windows similar to the barn. In the south eave-side there is an overhead door.

Barn II:

This is a 1-story pole barn structure, also banked into the hill and with its ridge-line north-south aligned with Barn I. The south gable-end faces the driveway and shop area, and has a wide doorway with an overhead door flanked by a nine-pane stable window on each side. The west wall is partially banked and is constructed of concrete block masonry with a row of nine-pane stable windows. A gable-roofed wall dormer is in the center of the west pitch of the roof. The north end is attached to Barn I. The east side is covered by attached additions including two silos near the south corner and a shed addition north of the silos. Siding is a mix of exposed masonry and vinyl. Roofing is green asphalt shingles.

Silos:

The silos are of concrete stave construction with metal hoops. The northern silo appears to have been parged while the southern silo has the pre-cast surface of the staves visible. Both have domed metal roofs and they are connected to Barn II by a shed.

Historical significance:

By the early 20th century agricultural engineers developed a new approach to dairy barn design: the ground-level stable barn, to reduce the spread of tuberculosis bacteria by improving ventilation, lighting, and reducing the airborne dust of manure. A concrete slab typically serves as the floor for the cow stables. Many farmers converted manure basements in older barns into ground-level stables with concrete floors. Some older barns were jacked up and set on new first stories to allow sufficient headroom. With the stables occupying the entire first story, the space above serves as a hayloft. By the 1920s most ground-level stable barns were being constructed with lightweight balloon frames using two-by-fours or two-by-sixes for most of the timbers. Novelty or tongue-and-groove beveled siding is common on the walls, although asbestos cement shingles also were a popular sheathing. Some barns have concrete for the first-story walls, either poured in place or built up out of blocks.

The gambrel roof design was universally accepted as it enclosed a much greater volume than a gable roof did, and its shape could be formed with trusses that did not require cross beams, which would interfere with the movement and storage of hay. Also known as the curb roof, the double slopes of the gambrel offer more volume in the hayloft without increasing the height of the side walls.

Most ground-level stable barns and free-stall dairy barns built since the 1970s have no hayloft. Instead, the roofs are supported by prefabricated wooden trusses covered with metal roofing. While most single-story truss-roofed barns in New England are constructed with concrete foundations and stud-framed walls, pole barns with open sides are becoming popular, especially for sheltering large herds of dairy cows, heifers, and beef cattle. Many of these large truss-roofed structures are free-stall barns, introduced in the late 1940s.

Field Notes

Substantial dairy farm with silos and multiple buildings. http://www.richfarmicecream.com/ Rich Farm Ice Cream opened for business on July 3, 1994 by David and Dawn Rich on what is known as Ajello's Farm. The dairy farm was originated five generations ago by Dave's great grandfather, Raffaele Ajello, on Great Hill in Seymour, Connecticut. In 1950, Ralph's son Thomas purchased 100 acres in Oxford and moved his farm here. Later, in the early '70's, grandsons Don and Dave Rich took over the dairy business and continue to operate the farm today. The ice cream shop was opened by Dave and his wife Dawn, along with their children, to enhance their already existing dairy farm. All of the ice cream is made daily on the farm, using only the highest quality ingredients. The farm was honored by the State Department of Agriculture for running a Dairy Farm of Distinction in 1998 for beautification and high quality milk. This honor still stands; we take pride in keeping our farm immaculate.

Use (Historic)

dairy

Use (Present)

agriculture

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

1

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

Environment features

Relationship to surroundings

Located on the west side ofRoute 67 south of the center of Oxford, the farm is on the east slope of a hill overlooking the Little River valley. The farmhouse is set back from the road and is a 2 1/1-story gable-roofed structure with its ridge-line oriented east-west, perpendicular to the road. The house has a three-bay side-hall layout with the entry in the left (south) bay under a 1-story gable-roofed porch. The style is vernacular, with six-over-six double-hung windows, a round-topped attic window, and cornice returns at the eaves. The assessor’s record suggests a date of 1800; however a mid-19th-century date appears likely. Siding is clapboard with some vinyl and roofing is asphalt shingles. To the west of the house uphill are open fields, and an ice cream shop toward the south part of the site with a parking lot and picnic tables. Toward the north is a barn complex and beyond toward the west is a maintenance shed and a farm pond.

Building Typology

Materials

Structural System

Roof materials

Roof type

Gambrel

Approximate Dimensions

Barn 1 2S Barn 2924; S.F. Barn 2: 1 Story Barn 2108 S.F.

Date Compiled

01/22/2009

Compiled By

Charlotte Hitchcock

Sources

Photographs by Dottie Debisschop 1/22/2009, Charlotte Hitchcock 6/08/2012.

Town of Oxford assessor’s record: http://data.visionappraisal.com/OxfordCT/findpid.asp?iTable=pid&pid=3474
Parcel ID: 19/ 58/ 3
BRN1 1 Story Barn 2108 S.F.
BRN5 2S Barn 2924 S.F.
SHD1 Shed | Frame 286 S.F.
SHD1 Shed | Frame 480 S.F.
BRN8 Pole Barn 1500 S.F.
BRN8 Pole Barn 1536 S.F.

Sexton, James, PhD; Survey Narrative of the Connecticut Barn, Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, Hamden, CT, 2005, http://www.connecticutbarns.org/history

Visser, Thomas D.,Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings, University Press of New England, 1997.

Historic Barns of Connecticut

Barn Record Oxford