About

Thundering Paws Farm was the name given by a friend when she first visited, because the running collies sounded like “thunder” to her.

The farm in Strafford, Vermont, sits on two original 100 acre land grants from the French & Indian War, purchased by the first selectman of the town and a future Revolutionary War veteran. The 1820 brick farmhouse was built by his son, whose wife is my relative. In 2003, the house was rebuilt with original materials for the next two centuries.

Historically, 2/3 of the farm was given over to sheep and grazing. 1/3 was managed as a sugarbush. The house sits at 1600 ft. The highest elevation is a N-S ridge at about 2000ft/600m. About 40 acres remain in pasture today.