About Us
History
Novelty Hill Farm, a historic Duvall farm, is situated just south of Duvall, where the town of Novelty once thrived. This farm stands as the only remaining landmark from that town, despite its continued presence on maps. Our family has proudly upheld the farm's rich history since the late 1800s, when George and Emily Pickering acquired it from the original homesteader, Mr. Peets, in 1884, cementing the Pickering family legacy.
The Town of Novelty
At its height, the town of Novelty, known for its rich farm history, included a post office, church, store, dance hall, and hotel. However, the legacy of the Pickering family was impacted when the old store and dance hall burned down in 1969.
Generations of Pickerings
The Pickering family legacy in Duvall farm began with raising dairy cattle and producing milk for three generations. Originally, the cows were hand milked, and the milk containers were picked up by riverboat on the Snoqualmie River. After installing electricity, they transitioned to using milking machines. Although the cows were sold in 1963, the family continued to embrace their farm history, raising many children, gardens, pigs, calves, horses, and llamas. Today, members of the 5th, 6th, and 7th generation continue to live and work on the farm!
Saving Our Barns
Built in 1932
Our beautiful barns at Duvall Farm are 85 years old and have withstood the test of time, surviving aging, lack of use, floods, fire, human errors, and drainage issues. We sell pumpkins and trees to raise funds to preserve the rich farm history and honor the Pickering family legacy that these structures represent.
The Dairy Barn
We received grant funds from the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, as well as King County’s Historic Preservation Program, to replace the siding, rebuild doors, replace the foundation, and paint the Dairy Barn, a key part of Duvall farm's rich farm history. The expense was significant, and we matched and exceeded the amounts we received from grants. To honor the Pickering family legacy, we bought a milling machine to mill the wood to match the original shiplap siding.
The Calf Barn
In 2019, we relocated the Calf Barn to higher ground north of the Dairy Barn as part of our ongoing commitment to preserving the Duvall farm's rich history. We replaced the foundation, bracing, and siding where needed. This King County Archives photo from 1940 captures the building before a fire that destroyed the upper portion, an important moment in the Pickering family legacy.
The Calf Barn Restored
In Fall 2020, we were thrilled to restore this beautiful building to its original form, honoring the rich farm history of the Duvall farm. We also insulated it and installed heating/A/C to ensure comfort year-round. During the pandemic, it served as a wonderful 'one-room school house' for our kids, continuing the Pickering family legacy of education. Now, it houses our seasonal farm store and is available for rentals as well!
Novelty Hill Farm History
Because... that is where we are located!
Our Duvall farm spans both hillside and valley floor. The hillside is named Novelty Hill because the town of Novelty used to be located at our farm. Some confusion arose many years ago regarding the farm history, and it is not totally clear why. The twisty road ascending Union Hill (across the valley from us) became known as "Novelty Hill Road." We wonder if the road was once Redmond-Novelty Road (as many roads connecting two cities are called) and it slowly evolved into just "Novelty Hill Road." Whatever the origin, the actual Novelty Hill is underneath our feet and is the reason we chose this name for our farm, honoring the Pickering family legacy.