ABOUT
Linden Farms is located in north-west Pennsylvania, USA, near Allegheny National Forest. The property consists of a residential house where the Crawford family lives, a kennel facility where the foxhounds are kept and bred, and the Linden Farms Equestrian Centre and the land that goes with it.
Linden Farms specialises in breeding quality Irish Sport Horses that excel in eventing and hunting. Most months we have a foal crop selling any foals that have been bred over the month and are not being kept.
We also specialise in breeding English Foxhounds, a breed of dog which has been special to the family for generations. We keep the majority of the hounds we breed, and any pups we do sell are sold only to homes which intend to use them for showing or hunting, unless otherwise stated. Our dogs are given plenty of exercise, are well trained, and skilled hunters that are perfectly capable around horses.
Linden Farms specialises in breeding quality Irish Sport Horses that excel in eventing and hunting. Most months we have a foal crop selling any foals that have been bred over the month and are not being kept.
We also specialise in breeding English Foxhounds, a breed of dog which has been special to the family for generations. We keep the majority of the hounds we breed, and any pups we do sell are sold only to homes which intend to use them for showing or hunting, unless otherwise stated. Our dogs are given plenty of exercise, are well trained, and skilled hunters that are perfectly capable around horses.
HISTORY
Linden Farms has been around since c.1760, and was originally just a working farm in the New England colonies. During the American War of Independence and War of 1812 the farmlands were used to breed cavalry horses thanks to its fertile, grassy pastures and remote location. As a result a stable facility was set up and, over time and as usage increased, the stable yard grew into a stud farm.
During the 19th Century Linden Farms bred quality Thoroughbreds and Morgans, until the family running it - who had owned it since its establishment as horse farm in 1780 - came into financial problems during a dip in horse sales, and opted to move to find work elsewhere.
Linden Farms remained unowned until it was purchased in 1902 and used as a family home, and nothing more. All buildings apart from the residential colonial farm house were knocked down as they were in such a state, and were not rebuilt by the owners.
During the 1970s Linden Farms was rebuilt, once again, as an operating riding stables, and opened to the public offering riding lessons, trail rides and hosting local competitions. It remained a working equestrian centre until the fire of 1996 which destroyed the majority of the estate's buildings, with the stables and farm house roof and left wing burned to the ground, and the rest of the property severely damaged. The farm was declared derelict after the family owning it was forced to move, and no buyers bought the building afterwards.
Linden Farms remained unowned and in a derelict state until 2006, when it was declared that the remaining buildings should be demolished and the land auctioned off. It was during this time that Matthew Crawford was looking for a property to purchase and, having stumbled across the derelict Linden Farms, made the rash decision to take it on.
The rebuilding of the fire-damaged farm house took nearly three years, with multiple delays due to insurance and finances hindering its progress along the way. When it was finally finished Matthew Crawford moved in and soon looked into knocking down and rebuilding the stable yard, which was completed by 2010. Kennel facilities were also put into place during this time, and by 2011 the site was fully built again, and operational as a dog and horse stud farm. After Matthew Crawford's marriage to his girlfriend in October 2011 the farms were turned into a full equestrian centre breeding Irish Sport Horses which the pair compete and hunt with together.
During the 19th Century Linden Farms bred quality Thoroughbreds and Morgans, until the family running it - who had owned it since its establishment as horse farm in 1780 - came into financial problems during a dip in horse sales, and opted to move to find work elsewhere.
Linden Farms remained unowned until it was purchased in 1902 and used as a family home, and nothing more. All buildings apart from the residential colonial farm house were knocked down as they were in such a state, and were not rebuilt by the owners.
During the 1970s Linden Farms was rebuilt, once again, as an operating riding stables, and opened to the public offering riding lessons, trail rides and hosting local competitions. It remained a working equestrian centre until the fire of 1996 which destroyed the majority of the estate's buildings, with the stables and farm house roof and left wing burned to the ground, and the rest of the property severely damaged. The farm was declared derelict after the family owning it was forced to move, and no buyers bought the building afterwards.
Linden Farms remained unowned and in a derelict state until 2006, when it was declared that the remaining buildings should be demolished and the land auctioned off. It was during this time that Matthew Crawford was looking for a property to purchase and, having stumbled across the derelict Linden Farms, made the rash decision to take it on.
The rebuilding of the fire-damaged farm house took nearly three years, with multiple delays due to insurance and finances hindering its progress along the way. When it was finally finished Matthew Crawford moved in and soon looked into knocking down and rebuilding the stable yard, which was completed by 2010. Kennel facilities were also put into place during this time, and by 2011 the site was fully built again, and operational as a dog and horse stud farm. After Matthew Crawford's marriage to his girlfriend in October 2011 the farms were turned into a full equestrian centre breeding Irish Sport Horses which the pair compete and hunt with together.