Workbench f 2014
by Lew Larason
Cane Farm Furniture runs an advertisement, which asks, “Where is Rosemont?” That’s easy. It’s situated northeast of Stockton, NJ, which is across the Delaware River from Center Bridge in Bucks County. And it is where Cane Farm is located.
The Cane Farm was established in 1927 when Charles Cane bought the property and started his chicken farm. He built several long chicken houses and had a flourishing business. By the mid-1960s, when he was in his mid-60s, Charles felt it was time to change direction. He decided to put in a woodworking shop and a furniture showroom using the two chicken houses closest to his home. In late 1964, Cane Farm Furniture was opened. It has been in business ever since.
While attending the George School in Newtown, Charles’ son Phillip had taken woodshop. After graduation, Phil studied poultry husbandry at the University of Connecticut. He then joined his father in the chicken business. When Charles decided to get out of it, Phil was able to put his woodworking talent to good use. He began building and finishing classic Early American and Shaker furniture to sell in their new showroom, while his father cleaned out and renovated the rest of the chicken houses.
As the business grew, a couple of additional woodworkers joined the operation. This helped them fill orders, while building up stock for the showroom. Simultaneously, other chicken houses were being cleaned out, renovated and rented. Now50 years later, the Cane Farm still is a most interesting outlet in for reproduction country furniture and accessories.
Phil’s wife Carol handles the office work. Between the showroom, custom orders and thirty rentals of the one-time chicken houses, she’s quite busy. Now, the third generation of Canes is involved in the family business. Phil and Carol’s son Owen graduated from the Hun School in Princeton, NJ. After that, he attended Bucks County Community College in Newtown where he studied woodworking. He joined his father in 1990. Presently Owen has taken over many of the responsibilities of the business.
To continue reading about Cane Farm Furniture, turn to page 52 in the Fall 2014 issue of Bucks County Magazine.