Fieldstone: The Kind of Place You Can Make

By Carol Crupper
Published on September 1, 2007
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In 1909, this stone structure housed livestock for a local Mennonite farm family.
In 1909, this stone structure housed livestock for a local Mennonite farm family.
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Asparagus is the first crop of the season.
Asparagus is the first crop of the season.
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Starting with a manure-encrusted old stone barn, Ken and Nancy Krause have created a home in eastern Kansas with a little taste of Tuscany or Provence.
Starting with a manure-encrusted old stone barn, Ken and Nancy Krause have created a home in eastern Kansas with a little taste of Tuscany or Provence.
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The orchards include heirloom apples and Asian pears.
The orchards include heirloom apples and Asian pears.
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The popular U-Pick operation is Ken's answer to high labor costs.
The popular U-Pick operation is Ken's answer to high labor costs.
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When rainfall is abundant, the seven cascading ponds help water the orchards.
When rainfall is abundant, the seven cascading ponds help water the orchards.
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The country store gives visitors a little more bang for their buck.
The country store gives visitors a little more bang for their buck.
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Ken is vigilant in monitoring the fruit trees.
Ken is vigilant in monitoring the fruit trees.
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The sunroom looks out on the lower pond, home to a family of blue herons.
The sunroom looks out on the lower pond, home to a family of blue herons.
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Nancy and Ken's love of a good time is reflected in everything they do – even if it's just an evening stroll.
Nancy and Ken's love of a good time is reflected in everything they do – even if it's just an evening stroll.
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High-density planting makes new use of the ruined vineyard's trellis system.
High-density planting makes new use of the ruined vineyard's trellis system.

Overbrook, Kansas – In the beginning, Ken Krause dreamed of a stone barn, nothing more, as he worked selling dental supplies. “Driving around Kansas I’d see these rock barns. I’d visualize, fantasize about what I could do with rock buildings,” he says.

Fantasy steered toward reality when a newspaper ad led to a barn he could call his own: built in 1909, with 22-inch walls and filled with manure. A 140-acre farm came attached. Over the course of three decades, Ken’s dream expanded to include seven cascading ponds, an array of “profit centers,” and an elegant barn home that doubled as a bed and breakfast.

Today, at 80, Ken is about ready to retire from the farming game in favor of leisure time, summer vacations and less responsibility.

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