Last Friday, a friend and I visited Coppal House Farm’s Sunflower Festival about 11 miles away.
It was a very warm morning when we parked our cars in the lot, but there was already quite a crowd of various ages anxious to see the sunflowers. Almost everyone had face coverings and social distancing was observed.
On the way to the fields, we passed this garage. The wooden door is what caught my eye first, but then I was drawn in thinking about how they use that door, plus the small second floor windows, and the unique cupola.
What would you do with a garage this size?
Just thinking about it made my pulse quicken – vehicles, lawn equipment, workshop, potting area and garden supplies downstairs, quilting and crafting upstairs. I could be one happy woman with this building.
Does this building have historical significance? Not really, but it is part of a wonderful 78-acre farm that has been in existence since the 1740’s and is currently owned by John and Carol Hutton.
Today, Coppal House Farm offers a farm stand, sunflower festival, farm camp, corn maze, and horse-drawn sleigh rides pulled by their Belgian draft horses. The name ‘Coppal’ actually means horse in Gaelic.
What did we see besides this handsome building and farm animals? We saw sunflowers, lots and lots of sunflowers. Think sunflowers as far as you could see, all the pollinators you can imagine, and humans contorting for the perfect selfie.
I mentioned it was hot.
So, how hot was it? Well, the Belgian horses even needed a fan. Now, that’s hot. 😎
Today, like all Thursdays, these doors are linked to Norm Frampton’s Thursday Doors-August 6, 2020. Happy door gazing.
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
My imagination is running wild thinking about what I would do with that garage. I love that upper door and those little windows.
I love looking at big fields of sunflowers. There used to be a farm near where our daughter lives, but they stopped growing them several years ago.
I’m glad you were able to enjoy an activity out of the house. Thanks for bringing us along.
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I could see your utility trailer parked in that carport type area to the left. 🙂 Loved that building, and the sunflowers were great. It was also interesting to observe the various ages of people attending. There were babies in strollers right up to the senior crowd but everyone was good about spacing out. It was fun.
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Maybe we’re getting the hang of this pandemic thing.
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That can’t be simply a garage. It looks like part barn, part studio, and part getaway. I think it would be wonderful to have some kind of studio/workshop there in which I could just sit and stare out at that beautiful open space. I love the photos of the sunflowers! A hot summer day makes them happy, and they look it! This is two Thursdays with doors — a nice peek at how things used to be! Thank you!
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Yes, open that wooden door and find a nice big adirondack chair and a cold drink waiting. That would be a good thing. 🙂 The funny thing is we haven’t traveled much over 10 miles from home, drove separate cars, wore our masks, washed our hands, but still enjoyed a little normalcy. I’m thinking we may have to decide if we are going to settle for existing or trying to find a closer form of life with safety measures in hand. I certainly concede that it is much easier in warmer weather because you can be outside. I’m definitely not interested in any large gatherings inside for any reason. Stay well, friend.
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Thanks for sharing those beautiful sunflowers. Nourishes my soul.
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They were something that is for sure. One beautiful flower after another.
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Beautiful sunflowers!! Since my sewing space is ABOVE a very large garage, I would vote for some sort of studio! I’d want bigger windows too.
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I thought of you immediately when I saw that building, but I’m with you thinking I’m not sure about those small windows. 🙂 The lady I go to when I want a quilt done on a longarm has a very similar situation. Garage and vehicles on the first floor. The second floor houses her quilt area on one side, and her husband has a woodworking shop on the other. I’ve always wondered about dust going through the door, but he does have those collectors on his machines.
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We are planning to build a wall with a nice doorway at the top of our stairs from the garage so we can isolate the air conditioning in the heat from the downstairs
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That is one very large garage, and, as with so many of the buildings in New England, beautifully painted too. I just love sunflowers, they are the such cheerful flowers, you have to smile when you see them.
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It is almost the size of a barn but then made like a garage. I’m still wondering what they might have on that second floor with that wooden door and tiny windows. 🙂 Sunflowers are cheerful, and it always make me smile when they all face the same way.
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I’d also love to know what they have on that second floor!
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Never mind the doors, those are wonderful sunflowers 🌻
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They do make you smile don’t they. 🙂
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Absolutely!
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I would move into this awesome garage and then renovate as the ideas hit me! Who doesn’t love sunflowers? You have to smile when you see one and be in awe of their size. You shared great photos of them and all the happy bees!
The Belgian horses are magnificent. The Coppal House Farm offers their guests quite a variety of things to see and do. Thanks for bringing us along.
🐾Ginger 🐾
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Glad you enjoyed the mini tour. I’m with you, I think there’s enough room to keep having ideas. Those horses are amazing. I only wish I could have caught them from the front, but the fan was too funny pointing at their rears. 🙂
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The sunflowers are fabulous! Love the different colors!
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I would have been amazed with the one main yellow color let alone several. It was like going to a candy store for gardeners. 🙂
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This made my heart sing! I am glad people are getting out and enjoying life safely! It makes me happy to hear that.
That door… maybe it was a way to get the hay up there? Who knows but I find it interesting.
And how about those sunflowers! What stunning pictures, Judy. You brought us all big smiles!
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I wondered about hay too and if the little windows were for circulation. The flowers were pretty. I exercise caution and have only gone to places outside, but I don’t think we can or want to live like prisoners long term. Once the weather gets cold, things will have to go back to staying at home.
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That’s a bit more garage than I need but I’m sure I’d still manage to find enough clutter to fill it 😀
An outing with in a field of sunflowers with a friend sounds awesome right about now. Good for you!
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The second floor could be the International Headquarters of Thursday Doors. 🙂 Happy vacation, Norm. 🙂
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Sounds like a very fun excursion! Love the varieties of sunflowers and those doors are appealing, too. I’m glad the owners continued to replant this year (although some are probably volunteers now?) since a few fields our way for safety reasons nixed planting annual displays once COVID hit, including a large pumpkin patch. We all especially need beauty at this time.
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Almost all annual displays have been canceled here too, but I’m guessing because it was quite a large are it was easier to stay away from other people. I would think there would be some volunteers. I looked at the base and noticed they used a staggered pattern. Huge task.
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Always something enchanting to pursue in idyllic New England! What a beautiful variety of sunflowers ranging from buttercup yellow to near-crimson – with some a combo of both! I love the nice variety in color of horses, too! (With that busy-body rooster supervising their lunch time!) Interesting garage, too, with those “cute” little windows, presumably for ventilation and the peeking in of sun and moonlight. I love its setting, open fields for miles beyond. And finally, I’m not surprised that the genteel class of people who would patronize a sunflower festival would also be respectful of the well being of others in these crazy times. I’m glad you could enjoy all of this!
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It was fun to enjoy the variety of sunflowers. I LOVE those horses and usually they are in their stalls in the barn where you can stop, admire, and take photos. But, they had routed the line to get in through the stables so I’m guessing it was less stressful on the horses to not be there. They had a gentleman stationed right near the horses too so no one could get too close. I may have to go back and see if I can catch their front end. Your grandkids would love those big boys. 🙂
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Nice! That barn is a crafter’s/artist’s dream. Talk about a room of one’s own! And oh those sunflowers. How glorious it must have been to walk among them with all your senses engaged.
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Can’ you picture a writing and podcast studio on that second floor? 🙂 ‘Senses engaged’ is a great way to put a stroll through those sunflowers.
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Judy, I am thinking portrait studio, artist space, etc. I’d plant sunflowers, or maybe lavender under the windows next to the garage for a pop of color. What a nice outing. I love all your sunflower photographs.
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Oh, yes, artist space would be perfect. I love lavender too. 🙂
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I adore sunflowers and cannot get them to grow here. It is one of my never-ending sorrows each summer. However your photos are wonderful. I’d turn that garage into a writer’s retreat/yoga studio. Oh, the possibilities.
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Writing and yoga studio sounds perfect! I’ve planted Mexican Sunflowers for two years now. The ones I plant in a MG project garden where no one takes care of them, grow big, huge, and full of blooms. The ones I plant here at home grow to maybe 3′ have a bloom or two and that’s it. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work the way you want it to. 🙂
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I would love to have a big enough yard to fit a building like that on it! Or, maybe two… one for my husband and one for me. Love the sunflowers and the pollinators.
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A ‘his’ and ‘hers’ – I love it. Too funny and quite practical. 🙂
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Mr ET would love a building as large as this to house all his man things – motorbikes, tools and other stuff. The sunflowers are beautiful. Not far from here there are several sunflower farms too.
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I’m glad you have some sunflowers farms too, and I bet your beautiful birds visit them. 🙂
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Yes, although the sunflower farmers might not be happy about that.
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Ooh, that must have been quite the sight! What variety was your favorite?
Those horses look beautifully cared for – good to see!
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I have to say I was like a kid in a candy store – I loved them all! I did spend some time staring at the ground area envisioning how they planted them all in the staggered pattern row upon row upon row. I was wondering if they used those long handled drill type tools that you can dig a hole for a bulb with or was it a cultivator pulled by the horses. 🙂
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Okay, okay, yeah the garage is nice. But a corn maze??! That sounds like so much fun! 😉 – Marty
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They have amazing corn mazes every year. I’ve never gone. With my sense of direction, I’d still be out there wandering around when they started their sleigh rides. 🙂
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I like you would put some sort of living/working space upstairs. It’s a lovely space to think about all the possibilities, isn’t it?
Sunflowers and horses are wonderful. What a great place to visit!
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Those horses are fine specimens and you could certainly capture some shots with your camera when they aren’t facing the barn wall. 🙂
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😀
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Draft horses are my Favorite!! Gently giants. 🙂 Our sunflowers are the shade-makers in my garden each year since we lost our huge oak tree. Can’t complain as they come back every year. Love ’em!
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Nice, that they come back every year without replanting. 🙂
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Birds keep dropping seeds for us I guess? 🙃
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They just don’t always plant within the lines though. 🙂
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Exactly. Lots of transplants and gifting of plants each spring lol
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While the garage building may not have historical significance, I can just imagine how useful it is. We had a 40 x 6i0 foot barn on our farm that contained my apple store, two tractors, lots of equipment and upstairs is where I stored all the Christmas wreaths that went on all the windows of our home. Thank you for constantly bring back nice memories for me…as you can tell, I miss New Hampshire. 😊
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I am thrilled to provide you a small link back to a good time in your life. With all that is going on right now, I am am quite content to be right here in my little town of 30,000+. Stay well and enjoy your winters as you don’t have to think about moving snow anymore. 🙂
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I could sure use that building, too! Love all those sunflowers.
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What I could do with that building. 🙂 Yes, those sunflowers were beautiful.
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Ooher! I love sunflowers! Mine haven’t opened yet. I planted them late, but honestly, I’ve begun to wonder if I got a bad batch of seeds 😦
I’d love a garage like that, too. So would The Mister. Little bit of ‘wish we had an over the garage apartment for our son’ in my head when I see that garage.
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I think he could be pretty happy up on that second level. 🙂 You are not alone with maybe a bad batch of seeds this year. I’ve had some really strange results with plants.
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