The Pine Top Farm of Springwater NY

By Margaret “Peggy” Kammerer Gray

In 1905 Adam Kraner, a native of Germany, purchased a 100 acre farm on Springwater’s east hill at the corner of Wheaton Hill road and Strutt Street. It was a self-sustaining farm with cows, chickens and field crops. He used horses to work the fields and for transportation. Extra crops were taken by horse and wagon to Atlanta, NY where he sold his produce.

The original house and barn were set back and slightly north of the current location of the house. The current farm house, shown here in the photos, was built in 1921 where Adam and his wife, Caroline, lived for many years. Caroline died in 1942 at 71 years of age and Adam died in 1946 at 81 years old.

In 1944, Adam’s nephew, Rudy Kammerer and his wife Margarete Winhold Kammerer purchased the farm and grew potatoes. During that time the farm was named Hill Top Farm. Rudy and Margarete had come from Germany in the 1920’s.

In the 1950’s pine trees were planted, mostly douglas fir, and the farm was renamed and known as Pine Top Farm. Rudy tore down the original barn and, using its lumber, rebuilt the smaller barn at its current location close to the house.

In the late 1960’s, Rudy built the south facing stone wall and fireplace. On vacations the family would always bring stones back for the wall, including one from Germany. Rudy Kammerer set the circular “K” in the chimney.

Rudy Kammerer’s trade was carpenter and he always came home after work wearing a carpenter’s apron and smelling like wood. Rudy continued to grow Christmas trees until he was 84 years old and in 1989 he sold the farm to his daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Donald Gray.

For several years the Gray family also continued to raise and sell Christmas trees. In this year of 2014, the farm consists of the farm house, barn and 47 acres which the Gray family continues to own and enjoy.