FARM PROFILE Old Bridge Farm Woodworks • Swanzey, New Hampshire From Farming to Chairmaking

In describing the handmade wooden Adirondack chairs designed and perfected for comfort by William Lauer, words fall short. It is sitting in one that demonstrates the comfortable feeling of their unique ergonomic fit. &emsp;The chairs differ a little in style, and both standard and tall chairs are available in either rounded chair backs on top or "bump back" chairs with backs that have a slightly higher "bump" in the top's center, thus explaining its name. The design differences are about offering aesthetically pleasing options. &emsp;The tall chairs have a higher seat and a less reclined backrest, so they may appeal to people who have difficulty getting in and out of the standard chair, which has a longer, deeper seat. And there are short chairs that allow people of smaller stature to have their feet touch the ground. A much smaller version is the child's chair. &emsp;The double bench has space for two or three people. Ottomans and side tables with similar designs are accessories that are built to match the chairs. &emsp;"I have been making these chairs since 1998. Since that time, I have modified the chair on several occasions. What has developed over time is perhaps the perfect Adirondack chair," reads a quote Bill Lauer shared on the farm's website while he was alive. &emsp;William (Bill) Lauer, the founder and former owner of Old Bridge Farm Woodworks, passed away in 2021, leaving his son, Dylan, to take the reins. While the senior Lauer worked on the chairs and other projects full-time, his son fits the work around his daily C&S finance job. &emsp;The younger Lauer had to scale back from the agricultural and animal aspects of the farm, as it was too much to keep up with on his own. Chickens, ducks and Alpacas were part of the farm before Dylan's dad passed away. The Alpacas were the last to go, and they went to good homes. &emsp;Now Dylan focuses on the chairmaking that he learned from his father and does this with the help of his good friend, Ethan Pierce, who William Lauer also taught. &emsp;They bring samples of the chairs to the Farmers' Market of Keene and craft fairs, and most people order the specific type of chairs they want. They may choose a stain color, if desired, such as pecan, burnt hickory, natural cedar, mahogany, or other options, and decide whether they would like the chairs made from high-quality wood from pine or western red cedar. &emsp;"(Dylan's) dad absolutely loved making the chairs," Pierce says, adding that the late farmer also sold them at farmers' markets and craft fairs. &emsp;Dylan explains that his father began designing and building the chairs in the late 1990s when his family lived in Northport, New York. William's father was a woodworking teacher, and this had sparked his interest and introduced Dylan to working with wood. &emsp;Bill lived in a cabin in the Adirondacks while in his 20s, building bridges and doing trail work, Dylan relates. He returned to Long Island and worked as a lobster fisherman until a pesticide used to kill mosquitoes contaminated the water, decimating the lobster population, explains his son. &emsp;Turning to his woodworking skills, he did various construction projects for the town and built a house for his family in the early 2000s. &emsp;In 2011, when Bill grew tired of the hustle and bustle of Long Island, he settled with his family on a 14-acre parcel of land in Swanzey, New Hampshire. He began building Adirondack chairs full-time and built a workshop to create them. &emsp;He branched out and began growing produce two years later when a grant helped finance building four high-hoop greenhouses. Although not technically organic, the farm followed the same strict guidelines as an organically certified farm. &emsp;Back then, they sold produce they grew (and the Adirondack chairs) at the farmers' markets. Dylan and his friends helped with growing and harvesting produce, including blueberry picking. &emsp;Later, they sold products from a self-service store housed in a small building Dylan built as his Monadnock High School senior project. &emsp;Dylan says they are currently not so prolific with produce and blueberries, thanks to the invasive buckthorn bushes taking over the land. &emsp;For now, making handcrafted chairs is Dylan's priority. &emsp;"Ideally, in a perfect world, I would like to do this full-time. I'm not quite there yet," Dylan says of the chair business. &emsp;Ethan Pierce says that with just two of them, they can take the time they need and have quality control. &emsp;"We've really got it down to a science because of years of know-how," Dylan adds. BOX (use photo of sign) Old Bridge Farm 694 Old Homestead Highway Swanzey, NH 631-742-3254 oldbridgefarm67@gmail.com oldbridgefarm.net