Barley Sheaf
by Patti Guthrie
As you turn off of York Road in Holicong, PA into the long, Sycamore-lined driveway, you’re struck by the pastoral beauty surrounding you, “a sense of calm and quiet that you can sink into,” as your daily cares melt away. Welcome to the Inn at Barley Sheaf Farm, Bucks County’s first bed and breakfast.
The Barley Sheaf, originally opened as a B&B in the 1960s by Don and Ann Mills, changed hands several times. In 2013 Christine Soderman sold it to its present owners, Mark and Deena Frank.
Mark commented, “Christine did a wonderful job of restoration and furnishing the 16 suites in antiques, each very different with various personalities.” Deena added, “The three rooms in the old ice house that we call the cottage tend to be quaint, sort of Cape Cod-ish with a New England cottage feel, while the six in the classic Bucks County stone bank barn are a little more rustic. The barn also houses a conference room or events space.”
In addition, there are seven suites on the second and third floors of the stone manor house, each also tastefully furnished with antiques. The large stately dwelling was built in 1740, although there’s some evidence supporting a 1680 construction date for at least part of the house. As would be expected, every suite features a full bathroom, a small refrigerator and other amenities. Eleven suites have mostly fireplaces, including all in the manor house, one in the cottage and three in the barn. “All suites are self contained,” Mark said, “We have two types of repeat guests—those who prefer the same room and those who want to try staying in each one.”
Before its days as a B&B, Barley Sheaf Farm already had a storied history as the home of brilliant, Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright George Kauffman who entertained other famous luminaries of the day such as the Marx brothers. The original swimming pool still is there for today’s guests to enjoy. Not surprisingly, each suite is named after a Kauffman play like Stage Door, Night at the Opera and You Can’t Take it With You.
The first floor has a spacious living room with a fireplace. It also houses the restaurant, which has the dual purpose of serving breakfast to inn guests and being open to the public for dinner Wednesday through Saturday and brunch on weekends. Just named by Open Table as one of the top 100 “most romantic” restaurants in America with, “Exceptional ambience being the common thread at the winning restaurants,” it features the culinary creations of lead Chef Josh Homacki. Commented Mark, “Josh already was here when we bought the property. In fact, he’s the first person we met. He’s very inventive. His wife Deborah, also a chef, now works for us. All of our food is farm-to-table fresh, most of it gluten free. The quality of our food and its presentation are of equal importance to us.”
Weather permitting, breakfasts can be enjoyed on the large patio and may start with a choice of Greek yogurt parfait featuring seasonal fruits and house-made granola, sausage gravy on biscuits or smoked salmon plate accompanied by tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, capers and cream cheese followed by a choice of entrees such as local hen egg frittata with seasoned vegetables, the traditional Barley Sheaf eggs Benedict or cinnamon bread French toast with Vermont maple syrup. Entrees come with roasted potatoes and a choice of bacon or sausage. Coffee and tea are offered, along with a complimentary Mimosa. Menu items are changed every couple of weeks.
Josh and Deborah are two of the eight staff members. Other full-time people include Deena and Mark, Mona Crispgallo, who’s been the manager for the last 14 years, an events chef, an events manager and a full time maintenance person responsible for the grounds. Mark said, “We also have some part-time people for our events.”
When asked why they decided to buy a B&B, he responded, “Several years ago, when I still lived on the Cape, I was in the hospitality industry for a bit. Friends had a hotel and cottages in Hyannisport. I worked with them and loved it. But, I pursued other careers in marketing and so on.” He grew up in Sandwich, Massachusetts, graduating from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with a B.S. degree in sports medicine and a Masters in public health. While an undergraduate, he met fellow student Deena, who was from Carmel, New York. She earned her B.A. in education at University of Massachusetts and her Masters in education curriculum from Western Connecticut State University while she already was teaching.
After their marriage in 1987, they lived in New York State, Mark working as a hospital administrator, Deena teaching. When he had a job opportunity with a pharmaceutical company in New Jersey, they moved to northern New Jersey so she could keep teaching in New York. Six years later they relocated to Columbus, Ohio for his job with a new company. After 7 years that firm wanted to open an East Coast office, bringing Mark and Deena to Bucks County in 2005. Once the office was up and running and recalling how much he loved working in the hospitality industry, he started looking for a B&B to buy, “My vision was of a small Victorian with three or four rooms.”
However, when they arrived at Barley Sheaf Farm, they both felt they’d come home. He said, “We have a very clear vision of who we are and where we want to be. This is the first time Deena and I have worked together. And it’s been amazing for both of us.” He added, “I can’t believe it already has been two and a half years.”
They bought the property in November 2013. During their first winter, the area suffered a prolonged power failure. “We were without power for about 24 hours. But, many around us had much longer outages. So, we opened our doors to our neighbors for meals and a place to stay. We had all of the fireplaces going and charged only the cost of the food,” he said, “We gained several loyal customers from that experience. It was sweet.” Their extreme hospitality also made the local newspapers.
Mark commented, “There are four parts to our business: the traditional B&B, special events like weddings and parties (we host 40 to 50 a year), the restaurant and conferences. We saw the potential. For instance, when we arrived, the restaurant wasn’t operating with consistent hours and days. We’ve found we need an emotional elasticity. We can’t get too high or too low on things. We try to minimize imperfections,” he said. It takes juggling to manage the various aspects of the business and differing personalities. “We have so many plans and ideas but have to be careful not to get too far out in front of our skis.”
Most of their B&B guests live within a two-hour radius, between New York and Philadelphia. Deena commented, “We have a lot of repeat clients. Our rates are a little on the higher end but are competitive.”
When asked what sets Barley Sheaf apart from all of the other Bucks County B&Bs, Deena responded, “We have a certain experience and think we provide a good value for that experience. We’ve won numerous awards as one of the best romantic get-aways.” Mark continued, “It’s very personal. If things go right, we’re happy. If they don’t, we take it personally but can’t take it too personally. It’s a tightrope, a constant struggle. We want people to be comfortable. I call it comfortable elegance. We offer a unique combination of feeling at home but escaping with an incredible experience.” He added, “We want our guests to sort of forget where they are, as our long, Sycamore-lined driveway leads them to remarkable privacy and hopefully an exciting sense of the unknown.”
Barley Sheaf Farm is located at 281 York Road, Holicong, PA 18928. For more information about Barley Sheaf Farm or to book a spring fling getaway, please visit www.barleysheaf.com or call them at (215) 794-5104.
Patti Guthrie is a freelance writer and antiques dealer from Chalfont, PA.