Nov.-Dec. 2016
High Forest Hideout New Stores Open in Log Homes Perfect Pear Holiday Recipe Westport Floor Plan Dream Home in the Woods
Greetings from Honest Abe Have you ever considered how intertwined our desires for tradition and new beginnings can be? This seemingly odd pair can more easily be recognized as we begin the holiday season. We're entering a time of the year full of family traditions and new beginnings. We gather with family and friends to share Thanksgiving and Christmas together, carrying out age-old traditions passed on to us that we've looked forward to all year. Then just a few days later, we’re suddenly celebrating the New Year, an opportunity for a new beginning. Honest Abe's desire is to help clients realize a new opportunity to create wonderful traditions. Through the new beginning of building a custom log or timber frame home, we hope it allows customers to create a new place and atmosphere to share with family – a place to build and share new traditions, a place where you can make deposits of love, tradition and opportunity into your family’s lives. With Blessings, Joshua Beasley President Honest Abe Log Homes
Nov.-Dec. 2016
In this issue... FEATURED HOME: Dream Home Hideout in the High Forest, p. 3-8
Log Cabin Trail, p. 3 Westport Floor Plan, p. 9 Cooking with Lodge, p. 10 New Store in Log Homes, p. 11
Honest Abe Living editing, design and layout by Claudia Johnson
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High Forest Hideout Some dreams are too strong to let go
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“My wish is that all who come here can enjoy this special place as much as I do” Photos: LaDawn Weston/WestonHouse Photography
– Chuck Bailey
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By Claudia Johnson, Honest Abe Log Homes
Some dreams are too strong to let go, and that’s why Chuck Bailey never gave up on his hope for a hideout in the woods. “I lived at my parents’ cottage in Brown County, Ind., while attending Indiana University,” Chuck said. “After graduating in 1974, I moved to North Carolina to begin my professional career, hoping that someday I would be able to come back to this special place.” Fast forward 33 years to 2007. After 31 years of marriage and having raised four children, Chuck and his wife Terri were finally empty nesters. Chuck was ready for country living, and though Terri was reluctant, the couple started ex p l o r i n g p ro p e rt y s u i t a b l e f o r building. But in four years everything would change for Chuck. “When Terri died in August 2011 after battling cancer for nine years, it was time for me to start a new chapter in my life,” Chuck said. “Good friends cautioned me not to make any changes to my life during the first year of being a widower. Don’t sell your home, don’t quit your job and don’t make any rash decisions. That was good advice, but the desire to retire to a log cabin in Brown County had long been in the back of my mind. It was time to move on my dream.” Chuck’s proverbial stars began to align, when he was offered the chance to buy 79 acres of land, 74 of it hardwood forest. The perfect building site was about 750 feet off the road – over a hill where it could not be seen from the road and overlooking an acre pond. HonestAbe.com
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“I began researching log cabins in earnest,” he recalled. “I checked out a lot of companies online, ordered floor plan books and spent a lot of evenings alone looking at plans. I wanted something that had all of the living area on one floor so I wouldn’t have to climb steps as I got older, and enough space for the kids and grandkids to come and visit. I found a plan from Honest Abe Log Homes that came close to fitting what I was looking for, the Westport. “ Soon Chuck accepted an invitation to visit a construction site from James Elkins, an Honest Abe Independent dealer with 50 years of experience in building structures of all types, dozens of them Honest Abe Log homes. “ Jim introduced himself and explained that he was an Honest Abe dealer and also a carpenter,” Chuck said. “I was impressed that his crew of four had seniority from 10 to 23 years. That is unheard of in construction. He told me that if I wanted a beautiful home, he could build it for me.” Chuck hired Jim to build the pole barn during the summer of 2013 as a test of the quality of Jim’s work before hiring him to build a cabin. Chuck was satisfied with Jim’s construction and decided to move forward with the design of the log cabin with him and Honest Abe.
The Bailey home was built by Jim Elkins, an Honest Abe dealer and builder with more than 50 years of construction experience.
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“This project had started out to be a man cave for me, as it was my dream to live in the woods,” Chuck said. “On New Years Eve 2012, I took Ann Garrison out on our first date. On our second date during the first week of January 2013, I brought her to the farm. There was 8” of snow on the ground. It looked like a Christmas card. I thought when she saw how far out in the woods this is, she might do a 180-degree change. Not so. She loved what she saw.” In 2014 Chuck and Ann made a trip to Honest Abe’s headquarters in Tennessee, visiting all four Honest Abe models, examining the quality of manufacturing and continuing to gather ideas. They modified the Westport Chuck Bailey plan and added a laundry room/mud room between the home and the two-car garage. They chose a 12” D log with a dovetail finish and chose a green metal roof, a covered front porch and a full walkout basement. “Ann and I were married on Dec. 6, 2013 – soon after construction began,” Chuck said. “It seemed like we spent every Friday date night at Lowes, Menards or Home Depot picking out lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, showers and bathtubs, cabinets, countertops, fireplace inserts, stone for the fireplace, stain, roofing colors, interior doors, acoustical tile, carpeting, vinyl flooring, door knobs, insulation, stone flooring, shower doors and a hot tub. What am I leaving out?”
“This project had started out to be a man cave for me, as it was my dream to live in the woods.” –
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The Baileys made several trips out of state to find accessories for the cabin. The interior doors, rocking chairs and coat rack came from Amish craftsmen in Ohio. The porch swings, gliders and exterior rocking chairs came from Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Ann crafted a copper sink for the half bath from a used wine barrel that the couple found in Wyoming. The Bailey name log at the end of the driveway came from a chainsaw artist in Trenton, Missouri. Between the two of them, Ann and Chuck have seven children and 17 grandchildren, so family visits had to be considered in the design. “I was originally going to build a three-car garage, but it looked as big as the cabin, so we went with a two-car garage that balanced the look better,” Chuck said, adding, “We can park more vehicles in the pole barn. The Westport gives us two bedrooms on the second floor, and we have three more rooms for guests in the full basement. When the whole family is here, the question has come up, ‘when does a log cabin become a lodge?’” Since Chuck retired in June 2015 after 30 years as a commercial insurance agent, he and Ann have entertained many friends at their new home. “Several have remarked that we are living every man’s dream,” Chuck said. “All have been impressed with the beauty and details of the construction. Jim and his crew did an excellent job of craftsmanship and paying attention to details. It is a beautiful home – which is what he promised from the beginning. Jim worked with us every step of the way. Jim and his crew were great to work with.” HonestAbe.com
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Jim feels the same way about the Baileys. He was impressed with Chuck’s enthusiasm and patience during unavoidable Indiana weather delays and attention to detail. Working on the cabin, pole barn and other projects for the Baileys in the past three years, he counts them among his favorite clients in his long career and is proud of the finished cabin. “This home has so much warmth and character, it feels so much like home,” Chuck said. “The focal point of this home is the 22’ tall dry stack fireplace. A friend of mine is a local stonemason and did a wonderful job creating that. We found a Swiss wood carver in Gatlinburg that hand carved the awesome mantle above the fireplace. Jim found our “hickory with character” flooring at a local lumber mill. It is beautiful and adds so much to the main floor of the home.” Chuck said he and Ann would not change anything about their house and plan to live there the rest of their lives. “My hope and dream is The Hideout can stay in our family for generations to come,” Chuck said. “My wish is that all who come here can enjoy this special place as much as I do. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.”
Honest Abe Westport Plan
Full photo gallery at www.honestabe.com/project/bailey-high-forest-hideout/
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Pear Tarte Tatin Butter piecrust: 1 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt 2 T. sugar 6 T. unsalted butter 2 to 4 T. ice cold water
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Pear filling: 4 small pears, or more as needed (Green Anjou or Bosc pears are best) Juice from 1 lemon 1 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 c. water 2 T. unsalted butter
1. Make the piecrust: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar, using a wire whisk to blend well. Cut the butter into 1/4” cubes. (For a very flaky result, place the flour mixture and butter in the freezer for 30 minutes.) Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the lumps are the size of peas. Add the water 1 T at a time and toss with a fork. Pinch a bit of the mixture between your fingers; if it holds together, you have added enough liquid. 2. Pour the mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Cuddle the mixture into a ball by holding your hands on the counter and pressing the outside of the ball. You don’t want to over handle the dough. Using your hands, flatten the ball along the sides to push it into a square shape. (It will crumble and that is okay.) Using a pastry or regular knife, cut the dough into thirds and stack the thirds in a tower. Press to flatten, then cut and stack 5 more times. The last time, flatten and round the dough by cuddling your hands around the edges. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling or make ahead and chill overnight. 3. Preheat the oven to 425°. 4. Make the filling: Peel the pears, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove the cores using a melon ball scoop or small cookie scoop. Place the pears on a sheet pan or in a large flat bowl in a single layer. Sprinkle the pears with the lemon juice and 1/4 c. of the sugar. Let stand while you prepare the caramel. 5. In a 9” cast iron skillet, combine the remaining 1 c. sugar and the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally and swirling the pan around the edge to be sure all the sugar dissolves. Cook until the sugar turns a rich brown caramel color, 6 to 8 minutes. Use a spoon to check the color since, in the dark pan, it will be difficult to see. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the butter (it may spatter). Stir constantly until the butter is incorporated into the caramel. Let cool for 5 minutes. 6. Remove the pears from the pan or bowl, leaving the liquid behind; reserve the liquid. Cut the pears lengthwise into ½”-thick slices almost, but not quite through, the stem end. Arrange the pears on top of the caramel; cut side up in a fan around the edge of the pan and along the center of the pan. Fill in any gaps with additional pear slices. 7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10” round. Place over the pears, tucking the dough in along the side of the pan. Prick several times with a fork. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until the crust is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. 8. Carefully tilt the skillet and use a baster to drain the liquid into a saucepan. Add the reserved liquid from the raw pears to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to make a thickened caramel sauce that will coat the back of a spoon. 9. Invert a plate over the skillet and turn the plate and skillet over together quickly and carefully. If your cast iron skillet has a pour spout, it will leak a bit. Drizzle the top with the thickened caramel sauce. This is best served at room temperature or slightly warm. Makes 1 (9”) tarte, serves 6
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Honest Abe Sister Company Opens Stores in Log Structures By Claudia Johnson
Barky Beaver Mulch and Soil Mix, a sister company to Honest Abe Log Homes, has opened two new speciality shops on the grounds of Honest Abe’s Cookeville, Tennessee, model home. “We are pleased to offer Barky Beaver’s products and a variety of other items alongside our beautiful Cookeville sales center,” said April Smith Patterson, who with her husband, Nick, and mother, Janie Smith, owns Barky’s Front Porch and Bloomy’s Boutique located on U.S. Highway 111 N. near Algood. Patterson’s father, the late Doug Smith, founded Honest Abe and a fist full of other businesses like Mitchell Creek Marina, Swan Ridge Resort, GF Hardwoods, McFarland Outdoors and Barky Beaver, which has manufactured mulch and soil mixes in a facility across the street from Honest Abe’s National headquarters in Moss, Tennessee, for more than 30 years. The Pattersons carefully chose what Bloomy’s and Barky’s would offer so that shop visitors would enjoy a diverse shopping experience. Nick Patterson, who is president of Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix, said the products offered by Barky’s Front Porch are in keeping with the philosophy of Barky Beaver. “We have what you need to make your lawn and garden beautiful and healthy,” Nick said. “Plus, our mulch and soil products are 100% natural and environmentally safe, and our selection of plants will always be from trusted local growers.” Barky's Front Porch features gardening supplies, storage buildings, playhouses, play sets, gazebos, barns, chicken coops, Barky Beaver mulch and potting soil and seasonal items. “For fall we had pumpkins, mums, pansies, squash, hay bales, corn stalks and fall decorations,” Nick said. “For Christmas we'll have fresh trees and wreaths as well as decorations and plenty of gift items. Spring will bring flowers, seeds and garden plants.” Bloomy's Boutique carries personal care products, clothing, accessories, furniture and home decor brands such as Creative Coop, Yeti, Spartina, Umgee, Mud Pie, Regal, Wild & Wolf, Rinse Bath & Body, Skinny & Co Coconut Oil and more. Future plans for the new endeavor include moving Honest Abe’s original model home from Allons, Tennessee, to the site for use as another shop. The shops are open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Visit www.barkybeaver.com/shop for more information and online shopping. Contact the stores 931-400-0606 or info@barkybeaver.com. The Cookeville Model Home is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday -Friday and Saturdays from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
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We wish you Merry Christmas and a most blessed New Year. Your Friends at Honest Abe