A sitting area off the formal dining room provides views of the surrounding trees and gardens through large bay windows.Shannon Ross/Shannon Ross/Coolhouse
6100 Concession Rd. 7, Uxbridge, Ont.
Asking Price: $3,250,000
Taxes: $14,731 (2024)
Lot Size: 25 acres
Agent: Sheila Baudisch, Re/Max Hallmark First Group Realty
The backstory
When Tom Hawks and Sheila Baudisch blended their families in 2017, common ground turned out to be a Victorian-era farmhouse in the rolling landscape of the Oak Ridges Moraine.
The 25-acre property is set in the northern Durham Region, where Mr. Hawks had been living for many years. Ms. Baudisch, a real estate broker, was living at the southern end of Durham in Whitby, Ont. at the time.
They chose the home on the edge of Uxbridge, Ont. to allow her two teenaged daughters more independence.
“We wanted to live as close to town as possible,” says Ms. Baudisch.
Local records show that the red-brick house was built circa 1890 on a 250-acre farmstead owned by the Gould family. Members of the extended family played a prominent part in the founding of Uxbridge, Ms. Baudisch says.
The farm changed hands a few times over the years, says Ms. Baudisch. Between 30 and 40 years ago the backlot was parcelled off to become the Wooden Sticks golf course.
Owners after that turned the property into a hobby farm with horses, dogs and vegetable gardens at various times.
“The house was always maintained really well and updated,” says Ms. Baudisch.
The outbuildings include a century-old barn, a drive shed and a vintage groundskeeper’s cottage.
Home of the Week, 6100 Concession Rd. 7, Uxbridge, Ont.Shannon Ross/Shannon Ross/Coolhouse
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The house today
Today guests and residents arrive to a foyer which leads to a living room in the original portion of the farmhouse.
About 40 years ago, the owners expanded the living space with a three-storey addition, including a lower level.
On the main floor, a large family room with a beamed ceiling and fieldstone fireplace is part of the extension.
Next to the formal dining room, a sitting area with a bay window provides views of the trees and gardens.
“I have a bird watching nook,” says Ms. Baudisch of the area overlooking the feeders outside.
The couple’s first project when they bought the house was to renovate the kitchen.
Today the large space has built-in appliances, double wall ovens, and an island with a breakfast bar.
The pantry and mud room are next to the kitchen. There’s also a three-season sunroom with space for casual lounging and dining.
On the second floor, the primary suite in the newer addition has a gas fireplace, ensuite bathroom and French doors opening to a Juliet balcony.
Four additional bedrooms and a full bathroom are also on the second level.
The lower level provides a recreation room with a fireplace and a walkout to the garden. There’s also a two-piece bathroom.
A second addition to the house contains an indoor swimming pool and sauna. The 16- by 32-ft. pool is surrounded by windows on four sides, with doors leading to the garden.
Outside, the land is mostly wooded, says Mr. Hawks. There are also pastures, meadows, a spring-fed pond and a brook.
The two-bedroom guest cottage, which once belonged to the grounds keeper, overlooks the pond.
The three-season sunroom with space for casual lounging overlooks the expansive, park-like setting.Shannon Ross/Shannon Ross/Coolhouse
The property is also eligible for a small property tax rebate as part of the Ontario Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program, Ms. Baudisch says.
Outdoor activities include skating, tobogganing and walking in the woods. The entrance to the Trans Canada Trail is across the road.
“Being in the forest is just a wonderful, healthy place to be,” Ms. Baudisch says of time spent in the country.
Mr. Hawks was first drawn to the area more than 30 years ago because the hilly terrain and quiet roads were ideal for cross-country skiing and cycling.
He was particularly keen on mountain biking, which was growing in popularity at the time.
“It was in its nascent stages of attracting people from Toronto and Markham and so on to come out here to ride.”
A few trails existed but Mr. Hawks wanted to see them connected. He joined with another cyclist to create the Durham Mountain Biking Association, which today has grown to more than 1,000 members.
The group advocated for more trails on public land. Members of the group volunteered to build and maintain the network, which now winds around the landscape for 200 kilometres.
On July 1, Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park became Ontario’s newest day-use provincial park, with mountain bike trails included.
The area is also popular with equestrians, Mr. Hawks says, with many horse farms backing onto conservation land.
The best feature
The farm’s original barn was built by Mennonites on a very solid stone foundation, says Mr. Hawks, adding that a previous owner also engaged Mennonite builders to repair and renew the structure several years ago.
When Ms. Baudisch and Mr. Hawks purchased the property, the barn was still filled with stalls to house animals.
The couple removed all of the stalls except for one and opened up the space for casual get-togethers.
“We use it as our outdoor living space in the summer,” says Ms. Baudisch.
The barn was the setting for scenes in the Hallmark movie Home for Harvest, she adds, and creative directors have used it as a backdrop for designer fashion photo shoots.
Mr. Hawks says the property provides a versatile backdrop for the film and advertising industries because the landscape includes forest, meadows and streams.
“Location scouts love it for that,” says Ms. Baudisch.