The Historic Farmhouse Way of life Skilled Ruth McKeaney Calls Home

Most folks would balk at renovating a 300-year-old house,
however hospitality knowledgeable Ruth McKeaney didn’t suppose twice. In 2010, her greatest good friend instructed her a few grand however dilapidated property outdoors Philadelphia. Despite its intensive injury, Ruth and her husband, Bob, noticed its potential. They put in a suggestion and moved in three weeks later.

As they discovered, the house had a wealthy historical past: Built in 1717, the property first served as 
a 300-acre dairy farm. In 1902, famend architect Richardson Brognard Okie purchased it for $15,000 and lived there together with his household for over 40 years. After his loss of life, over the subsequent 70 years the farm fell into disrepair—the barn burned down, acreage was bought, and a few outbuildings
have been practically rubble. “We saw abandoned buildings and niches and prayed we would 
be good stewards,” Ruth says.

The renovation uncovered many issues like corroded forged iron pipes, leaky ceilings, and timber rising into the roof. Over three arduous years, the couple renovated the property, and the household now proudly calls it Hillside Farm.

“It was a labor of love,” says Ruth, a mom of 5. “We wanted the home to be filled with laughter, peace, and rest, all that represented our family.”

Ruth shared the renovation and go-to recipes in a 2020 e book, Hungry for Home. From household gatherings in 
the spacious barn to chopping flowers from the backyard, there’s by no means a uninteresting second. Good Housekeeping not too long ago visited the house for a photograph shoot. 
“My heart has always been about blessing people through your home,” says Ruth.

A model of this story appeared in Good Housekeeping’s January/February 2026 difficulty. For extra about Ruth’s tasks, observe her at
@hungryforhome on Instagram or go to her web site, 
hungry4home.com. You may watch Ruth’s Homeworthy YouTube episode to see extra of her house.