I cannot understand why Pete hasn't got thousands more subscribers..I watch so many of the youtube videos of many homestead channels,and his has to be up in the top 3,always really informative,fun and ever interesting..God Bless Pete and Hillary and fsmily.

I've been in construction for more than 50 years and all I can say is WOW! The variety of skills and the perseverance that you demonstrated in all of the buildings that you restored and built are just amazing to me! I noticed you relocated the doorway out of the old basement, and that alone was a lot of work. Then on top of that running a successful farming operation and selling at a farmer's market as well, plus your mechanical skills in rebuilding and painting the MD last winter, you truly are a man of many talents! I grew up on a dairy farm in Pa, and really miss the machinery end of it, but while I like milk and milk products, I have never missed milking the cows. :)

My dad was a contractor and passed in 1988, he was known all over for his plaster work and skills, he took great pride in his work, like you do, this was so great to listen to you talk about your life and the skills you have learned. Thank you for this video!

This story is far more interesting and enjoyable than anything that was on the tv. My wife even wandered into the room while I was watching it. After standing and listening for a couple of minutes, she sat down and had me replay part one and restart this conclusion to the story. She agreed that it was far more enjoyable than what she had planned to watch on the tv. You now have another fan.👋🇨🇦👍👍👍👍👍

What an AMAZING, EXCEPTIONAL, MAN - a stand-out, amongst 4 billion other men! So genuine, polite, patient, humble, intelligent, inquisitive, multi-skilled, brilliant, hard-working, family-focused, etc, etc ….. His family & ancestors so blessed! 🇦🇺🤗

Pete, you really make me admire your way of living and overall just how happy and humble you are. Keep up the great work,

Agreed. Put down the cell phone, unplug the microwave, plant a vegetable garden, chill some milk, PERCOLATE a pot of coffee, bake some cookies then go sit outside and talk to your neighbors. You and your family are not only Blessed, you are in fact a Blessing to US !

You not only inherited the house you inherited the grit and determination.

What a fabulous story. Well told. The progress pictures showing your family moving in along the way were awesome. Your attention to detail is superb. Back in the 90s I did the same, and spent 9 years building a home and addition as my family expanded - so I could totally relate.

My cousin and his wife bought a piece of property that has a house on it from 1792. Took it apart piece by piece and rebuilt it back to it's old glory, up to code. It's absolutely gorgeous. Repurposed allot of things like you did. You did a great job on this house. Enjoy many more years.

I just love this home project and the way he is so respectful of his family’s past. The amount of his personal time spent and all the work he did is phenomenal! And what a great example of caring and of productive work for his children! He left them a legacy!

Your home is beautiful! My husband built our home in 1999. He did the same with reading books on how to do wiring and plumbing. We love our home and are proud of what we accomplished.

Just want to say thank you! This channel has inspired me so much!! I’m a really girly girl (city girl afraid of power tools lol) but since I started watching this channel I’ve been building stalls in my little barn and replacing rotten boards and repairing the fences by myself with what I’ve got lol. It’s not all perfect and I have KZfaq to teach me skills but we raised more livestock this year than our whole 7 years here combined and restored 4 of my 20 acres of overgrown pastures!! Your message of doing things yourself with what you have available has taught me so much and helped me see that I am capable of a lot more “boy jobs” than I thought haha. Thanks so much for your great content!!! 💕🐐🐇🐓🦆💕

Wow, I really enjoyed this video. My parents are immigrants from Cuba and Mexico, so they didn’t have much to offer to us here other than bringing us to a better place (the best gift ever). So now we are able to build an estate to pass down to our children in this country. Your family may have been dirt poor by the standards back then, but they left something so rich for future generations to build off of. It’s absolutely wonderful how you’ve restored what they left and inspiring how you honored what was already there! Congratulations!

This has been inspirational to me. My family and I bought a 1880 Colonial in Wyoming, NY and it gets to be overwhelming at times the simplistic way of describing working on one wall/side at a time is what I needed to hear. Thank you

This is the second time I've watched this video. I think I enjoyed it more this time. We live in a time where many television programs are erroneously called "Reality TV". It is such a joy to sit and relax and listen to Pete relate his reality. His personal feelings and the story that became his farm, his family... REAL reality. Thank you, Pete. What a joy.

This is by far the most honest and real life stories and experiences. Thank you Pete. Here’s a new cow joke for you… What do you call a heifer that just gave birth? Decalfeinated.

Pete, when I think about the challenges I’m about to undertake starting my retirement farmette, I love to reminisce about how my great grandfather built his house from the ground up and was told as soon as he finished that the railroad was putting in a new track that would go right through the middle of it. So he hand dug a basement a hundred yards away and moved the house on top of it. That work ethic is rare these days, and your story motivates me almost as much as Grandpa Witmer’s.

8-13-21 I'm so glad you ignored the naysayers, and chose to renovate rather than destroy the home your ancestors built. It's a joy to see the beauty and sense of time and place that you've created in preserving the family homestead. Thanks for sharing your journey!

This was so incredibly fun to watch and be inspired by. What a blessing to be able to rebuild on your family’s homestead and with your family. Thanks for telling this story.

Pete is a true renaissance man married to a wonderfully devoted woman. What a life !

Sure enjoyed watching this. My Grandpa sold his farm and years later all the farm was torn down . So sad, there is just a corn field replacing my memories now.

Than you for sharing your wonderful story. Many people, including myself are getting blessed watching your story.

Hope your children pour their hearts into this home the way you obviously have. Thank you.

This series was very interesting. I really enjoyed watching the process of rehabilitating your family’s home, how you carefully recreated so many features of the original house but also how you made it your own, creating space that would serve your own family’s needs. Great series Pete. Thank you for sharing the details.

Wow ! What an accomplishment, high determination and skill level. Just awesome !

My dad and I built 22 houses, before pneumatic tools became the norm. We pretty much built those houses with the same tools you used. By the time I was 14 I could set and sink a 16 penny nail into a wall stud in 2 strokes. Set, Sink that was it. Of coarse I've taken off my thumb nail a few times over the years. Before he started building houses, my dad was a interior boat finisher for a company in Stockton, Ca for 12 yrs, before they stopped building with just wood. He carried that meticulous character into the houses we built. Every cabinet joint had to be seamless, and he had it built into the contract with the supplier. They only tested him once, never again. Anyway I really enjoyed listening to your journey on your families home. My dad's home is in Wilton, New York, and from what I understand and see, it's still standing and occupied by one of his cousins. My great great grandmother bought the 80 acre farm for 3000, and the farm became the families living. Well I'm getting long winded. Have fun on your projects. Mike

You did an amazing job! Your ancestors would be very proud of you for taking such good care of the home & property.

Couldn't have torn me away from your story if it had been a 4 hour long video.... Your work on your place is excellent and shows your workmanship. You're an interesting man, Pete.

I'm glad that you saved the house. I'm living in a 100 year old house. None of my family lived here, but I love old houses.

Blood, sweat, and tears… I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your hard work and commitment to restoring your family’s history. What a lovely home!!

For many years, PBS “This Old House” was a favorite program, but I enjoyed this as much or more. Very few people have the opportunity to renovate a family home, and I thank you for sharing the experience. I was exhausted just watching, as your level of energy and ability are inspiring. You’re also an excellent presenter, everything was to the point and there were no wasted words. How astonished and proud would be your ancestors. Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. -Proverbs 24:3-4

Pete I have really enjoyed your history of your home and its renovation. Keep up the good work.

I'm always amazed what bridled insanity can accomplish. Genius. Brute strength, sweat, tears, brain work. and then if you are lucky you can start buying some tools. The good old days.

Amazing work. My wife complains when I want to go out for a half hour. Your wife sure isn't a lonely type.

Just watched this. Enjoyed it immensely. I remember in 1970 my stepfather using a hand drill. Looked something like an hand egg beaters. I own a Makita drill and a impact hammer drill. Used the regular drill. Both cordless. By the way. I'm 84 and a woman. Learned a lot from my stepfather and my uncle.

So talented..you and your family deserve all of the fruits of your labour..👏👏

Very much enjoyed your story! I love that your father and uncles could be a part of the rebuild. :)

Your Great great grandparents would be so proud. You have their grit.

I completely rebuilt my home from 1997 to 2011. Like yours, very little of the original is left, and there is a whole lot more of it. I did find artifacts. Every third bay of the framing had a Miller bottle. They framed the house drunk. I have designed and built my entire life. The best thing I learned was to be acutely aware and listen to the rhythms. Additions tell you where they need to be, stones tell you their place in a wall, a space tells you when it it is in balance. I built high end modern in my youth. The older I got, the more I relied on traditional architecture for real expression.

Pete, hi from the UK. You are an inspiration, truly the coolest dude in the world!!! Love your videos and i admire all you do!

Pete, this is the only channel I watch where a 26 minute video can fly. Other channels in the past I have found myself hovering over the video to see how long is left but these 2 part videos were a delight to watch. I guess I just love family history and to see it being cared for and protected and not just thrown out with old is a credit to yourself.

Well, Pete, I’ve watched both parts of your family’s truly incredible story and journey, and after these few words I’ve just typed, simply cannot find any more….. I’m now speechless.

Incredibly beautiful place, you are hard working and resourceful and your wife seems very supportive.

I was so excited to see the rest of this journey posted this morning! I was hoping it would be soon. The story of your journey, with your construction, your farm, and your personal growth are so encouraging. Thank you so much for sharing!

This guy has found so much peace within himself and happiness, this is how he shares with us his life. Iam truly greatful you can give so much to others, sure does feel good and you can sure tell no matter what you are doing. I look forward to more this is new vlog for me and excited for aure.🤗

Great Video. My house I bought in 2019 was built in 1880. I only held it for two years and sold it, but I regret doing that. In the next buyers market (God willing) I will get back out into the country. I had an old Amish barn (1960's) and the previous owner put up a 75x40 regular pole barn. My neighbor and I found out about a church in Bowling Green, Ohio that was selling a 1960 Ford 200 model tractor with a mower rig on it. We bought it, took it to my pole barn and we pressure washed it, put in a better ignition and we were so proud about 7 months later when someone bought it for 2500.00. We put in about 300 bucks for a battery and that ignition. All it really needed was repainting. IF I would get back out to the country, I would get another one with a better shift pattern. Man that old Ford was hard to figure out. LOL. What a great family you have. The best part is when you finish and you invite them over for steak or a really great dinner or family function. My dad was a bricklayer but was way past production when diabetes brought on a lot of complications. Your house looks really great. Loved both video's. What a great job.

You sir, are a mans man, not many like you anymore. I dream of doing what you have done and even have plans to build my new home on the 10 acre's I bought and paid for. You inspire me to get busy, thank you sir. God Bless you and your family.

Love this video Pete! Love the history. Being in my 30s it shows how Rome was not build in a day and chipping at your dreams is rewarding. Thanks for taking the time!

I have so much respect and appreciation for what you have done to make this world a beautiful place. We are just custodians of this beautiful world and of what our ancestors left behind. I believe they did things more with love, just as you did, because when we touch and feel and see what we do, we bring aliveness, depth and an unexplainable connection to it. I am sure, each inch of your home has that feeling somewhere, in the air. Such a beautiful narration and you are a great builder and a much greater story teller 🧡

Your a AMERICAN and a hell of a man.Thank You for the videos! I appreciate you and your time .GOD BLESS.

Thank you for sharing your incredible journey of discovery. The beauty of the history and chronology within the farm's rebirth through all your hard work is inspiring. I too, decided to invest my energies into maintaining our "starter" home for the last 37 years, while family and neighbors have moved away to pursue larger homes in distant suburbs. And much like yourself, I have come to appreciate the decision we have made and take comfort in our small home where our home improvements and family memories have been realized.

One of my favorite KZfaqr retired and I was sad til I found you Pete. Love your love of history. Your house is alot like the house I grew up in 87 yrs ago so your story made me a bit homesick. I’m definitely a follower now!

My husband is a forklift mechanic and has had the same job for 21 years. This year on 5/21/21, he too left his job to start up his own business. Now he has time with his kids, his wife of 26 years and it is awesome to have here more often.

Grand ma would be proud of you ....

Holy Cow Patty! Those shutters! That gorgeous house. Wow! What a labor of love!

I love old stories like this. You share memories everyday just by walking your house and yard with people you never knew. Great Great Great ancestors!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Sir what you've done is stunning. I'd take your beautiful Farm Home above any of those modern Architecture Homes any day. I love old houses, and always will. There's more individuality in the older construction. Modern is just too cold for me. Congratulations on a job well done.

Your excitement is palpable , you are such a lucky man to have all this family history as well as the history you have made for yourself your progeny . My father was an orphan . I'm quite jelous of your situation. I'm happy for you and wouldn't take any of that from you if I could . I just implore you to hold it all dear to your heart ! I hope you live to be 150 years old in your beautiful family home and that your children do the same ! And that they have that same wonderful excitement that you do when they think and speak of you and the home to their children and their children's children ! God bless you and your beautiful home and all who enter !

Man. You are very talented, but so down-to-earth. Appreciate this.

I'm sure, renovating, and rebuilding it's a really hard work but it gives a good visible result also you are great storyteller.

Pete said “so I made the shudders” I said “of course you did” Dudes a genius ! 🧠

I sure appreciate your telling of the history and how you remade your family home. I actually watched these two videos a couple years age and just rewatched it again. Thank you for sharing.

I've got to tell you how much I enjoy your videos, and as a 53 year old carpenter, I respect you. That's one heck of a good job

You are the most hard working ...dedicated ..talented...wise ..honest...down to earth man ! Thank you for sharing this beautiful story of your home and family.

I watched the whole videos how amazing this man is. The house to the garage to the addition was done so well. This man was a go getter and enjoyed wat he did he did an amazing job on it all. He should get a award his work for sure. Very good work.

Stumbled upon this modern day "old timer". Scrolling through you tube... You know, they don't make people like this anymore. People who want to work with their hands, operate a homestead, wake up at sunrise and do a legit honest days work. Excellent story teller. I have always wanted to save old houses. Glad you were able to save your GGPs hand crafted home with your wife and live the life of your dreams. 🙌🏻 You kept the integrity and forthright of the original home and I find this very special. Houses are alive. Wood is alive. Stones. Foundations. All alive. Not too many people get to follow their bliss. #inspired

Pete, you are a real worker. The saddest part about all the hard work you put into your home is you never really own it. A bad turn of events and its gone....

I like how you blended the stairway with the stone foundation. Also that curve in the stairs.

What a journey of learning and doing. I'm in awe! Admirable how you honored and reused the old structure materials.

what a great story, I grew up on my grandpas dairy farm in Montgomery NY but we lost it when he passed. He built everything on his own from scratch and hauled cattle at night i actually found the original drawings he made of the house i hope one day i can build a house and make it look just like his and have a farm to pass down to my kids.

Where was your wife during all this? Was she able to help? I know I couldn’t! What a woman you got there. Many wouldn’t put up with construction all the time. I was born in construction too…Lol. 1953. Dad started adding on and up and as the family grew, the construction continued. By the time I graduated from high school in 1972, he was done! I remember saying that the house will be too big one day, but the kids kept coming. I’m one of five and we all laugh about our personal stories growing up in construction in our family home. What a beautiful home and surrounding you’ve created. I love it…❤

Absolutely fascinating story Pete - good on ya' for tackling this project...and by yourself at that! Hillary and the car - too funny.

Love what you did to the house I love learning family histories and really enjoyed your journey. It amazes me how allot of homesteaders and farmers did all the construction on there homes themselves. Looking forward to what you got coming next Pete.

I grew up in old farm houses with the T configuration. Turn Knob light switches with a single fixture hanging from the center ceiling with the old braded cord and chain. I remember the wide board painted floors upstairs the most. and window open at night as no modern A/C the wide pouches off both sides of the T on both sides, all wood white clapboards gray decks and integer screened doors and the full beveled glass front door. they knew how to use the sun and the wind, high ceilings and wood stoves. what an amazing time when people paid attention to nature and physics . and not collage degraded

You’re my new hero. Makes the three years finishing out my bardominium look like child’s play. Love the channel.

Can't understate how much I (we!) appreciate the time and effort you put into sharing your life experience with us Pete, you are an inspiration.

Your a great historian.I love how God guides your simple existence,and how you take care of his creation,including the land and animals.I pray people take your words to heart.God bless you and your family.I learned so much from growing up on my grandparents and aunts and uncles farms.Farming adds so much character to your life.It let's you know what's most important in life.

I'm so glad I went back to look through Pete's older videos. This was amazing. Especially seeing all the photos in part 1 & part 2. It made me appreciate & love Pete, Hilary & their family even more. I already held Pete in such high regard for the kind of person he is, this made me respect him even more which I didn't know was even possible. I wish more people were like Pete & Hilary, the world would be a better place.

You and Hillary and wonderful children are a real tribute to American history. So proud of all of y’all.

Pete, you are an amazing man. You would make a very good motivational speaker.

Great video! I love hearing people talk about their lives, where they came from, and why they are where they are today. And I love hearing about what people find important to them, and what life experiences have shaped them. And as someone who finds a lot of meaning in places and objects, I've absolutely enjoyed watching these two videos about your home. Thank you for being candid and genuine. I do believe that you are my favorite KZfaqr.

You know what you are? You’re an Angel. Talk about having such love for your family and the legacy of their hard work. To preserve your ancestral home and with so much love restore it for your next generation - it’s truly a work of art. And I think of all the blessings the house has brought you - you have developed new skills which you can pass on to your family. Just a beautiful story thanks for sharing!

This is a down to EARTH episode of Ms Hillary and Mr Pete in doing a rebuild of the Old Home stead and keeping it close to being the original.

The way you recognize, respect, and apply the concept of maintaining “a sense of place” in your home - is a beautiful thing.

Well done, Pete! Yours is a remarkable story which, now that you've documented it, is even more so. Thank you for taking the time to put this and all your videos together They're really life-giving.

You know Peter, first of all, nice to meet you! I am a daughter of a great man like you. Dad made all his tools that he could. Dad sometimes would say that it took him longer to make the tool he needed than to repair or build the what ever! So happy you took lots of pictures so we could go on this adventure with you! Even your little daughter running around without a top on...yup! You guessed it! That was me too! When I started watching your series, I forgot to think that your Dad and family members may still be living. When you, your Dad, and Uncles put up the sheet rock on the addition in one day, it was a bravo day! Thank you for sharing!

Oh my goodness! What a beautiful house, barn . I know your Great Great Grandparents would be so PROUD of you. Look what you have done ! Just Beautiful. Love the stories and pictures !

That is what this country needs is get back to the basics I loved every bit of what you said what you did

Pete, This series was so delightful. You are such an amazing man, husband and father, as well as a first class storyteller, builder, teacher, farmer, and architect. My thanks to you and your family, for the absolute best you tube channel.

Those fancy modern architects houses leave me cold, THIS is what a real home should be like. Beautifully done, and the use of the salvaged materials is excellent. My TV wall actually looks a bit like that, but it's just made from stuff that came from Lowes, yours is real. GREAT job!

Thank you for these videos! We are purchasing a 1931 colonial home that needs a lot of renovations! We are selling our upscale home to move back to our hometown to bring this home back to its former glory. These videos have given me the encouragement and energy to face this monumental task with excitement.

It brought tears to my eyes by the end of this story. You guys are so creative and I love how you used parts of the old structures in building the add on’s. I would love to sit and hear more of how all of this happened . You two are really special and if there were more like you, in this country, we would be in far better shape.

Beautiful, I love it, the old style looks so much better then the "modern" stuff, you really are as amazing as your great grandfather who built the house originally. Absolutely beautiful, people do need to invest in the past, history and rebuild things with our hands.

Ellis Kinney I can't believe how much our lives parallel each other. I inherited the family farm Southeast of Cincy after I got out of the Army in 1971. At the time I was living in Louisville, Ky. driving 100 miles and clearing land and reclaiming hay fields. I had a VW and an axe. As time went on I bought tractors (M Farmalls) and built two barns. The farm was a Revolutionary War land grant. All kinds of history just like yours. In 2012 we built our house on the farm. I loved this two part series. Ellis

Thanks Pete. What a GREAT JOURNEY!!!!

DANG! This is the second video I’ve watched of yours (the first being the first part of this series) and I am so utterly and completely obsessed with this level of DIY. I currently rent an 100+ year old apartment snd have learned so much by looking at how things were done a long time ago. Absolutely stunning. Definitely going to watch more of your videos, you have great energy and appreciation for what’s around you. 🙌🏻

Something tells me you've never taken a vacation in 20 years. I think Hillary must have the patience of a saint. Has she gotten her parking spot back in the garage yet?!!!

Your daughters were like the your cattle when they impatiently wait to walk into fresh pasture.

As an architect myself I really had pleasure to watch your videos. I really admire your work.