"a beautiful and truly tranquil setting for any event"

The story of The Homestead on Peanut Road spans several generations. As a matter of fact, my siblings and I were the sixth generation of our family to live here. Most of my male ancestors were farmers. Much of the original 212 acres was utilized for farming while the remainder was woodlands. Because of inheritance and passing of land from family to family our acreage has dwindled somewhat but we still have almost 80 acres of serene country land for your special event!

Our Homestead history began in the year 1832 with the birth of my great, great, great grandfather, George Dietz who was born in Wittenberg, Germany. He immigrated to the United States at the age of nineteen. In 1862, George volunteered to serve for the Union in the Civil War. He was 30 years old at the time. His regiment was ordered to Gettysburg for relief of the Federal troops, but they did not arrive in time to participate in that great battle. George served his term and was honorably discharged. Shortly after returning home a neighbor man approached George and asked if he would be willing take his conscription for service in the war since the neighbor had a young family. Being the amazing man he was, George agreed. He once again served and survived the brutal war but he suffered extensive hearing loss. He was present when General Lee surrendered and took the oath of allegiance under an apple tree signaling the war's end. When George returned home in 1865, he used the money he had earned by serving in the war to build the farmhouse on The Homestead.

The Homestead has passed through generations, both on female and male sides of the family. George and his wife, Mary, had a daughter Margaret. Margaret Dietz married John Tschopp. One of Margaret & John's sons was William. In 1912, the homestead was passed down to William, who married Justina Troutman. William changed the spelling of their last name from Tschopp to Chubb to make it easier to spell and pronounce. William & Justina were blessed with eight daughters and one son. They named their son Lee Henry. After Lee's parents passed away, the farm was auctioned off and Lee purchased it to keep it in the family.

Lee Henry Chubb also served our country. He was drafted into the U.S.Army during WWII. After returning from the war he married. He and his wife, Ruth (Boyd), had two children, Robert and Patricia (our uncle and mother). Lee and Ruth chose to raise their two children in Millerstown PA, about 10 miles from the farm. Although our mother and uncle were not raised here, my parents (Patricia & her husband, Douglas Shenk) decided the homestead was where they wanted to raise a family.

As a family, we have decided to open the grounds for the most special occasions & events in life. We have held many celebrations here including: birthday & graduation parties, retreats & reunions. In 2018 we felt that it was time we start hosting weddings as well. So we have taken on the task of lovingly restoring the barn and readying the property to welcome you & your guests! Sharing our family heritage along with the beautiful property is something we feel will be a blessing to all!

There are several locations on the ground which are perfect for your wedding celebrations. Gentlemen can ready themselves for your special day in an area designated just for them. There is a Salon located in what used to be the summer kitchen of the farm, and is used as a Bridal Suite during wedding preparations for the Bride, Mothers and Maids.

The Salon has a story all its own: Cooking in an open fireplace in summer causes a kitchen to become extremely hot, so in Early America it was common for people to build a separate building close to the farmhouse called a "Summer Kitchen". The summer kitchen would contain a large fireplace, and usually a table which was used as a work surface. Our particular summer kitchen is estimated to be over 200 years old. The original wood beams in the ceiling are exposed and authentic stone fireplace is still intact. The back wall of the fireplace is a focal point in the main area of the Salon & Spa. On the roof of the summer kitchen is the original bell that was used to call the men in from the fields at mealtime; it is now used at events to signal the importance of specific details during your day.

Although we are all grown and now have families of our own, The Homestead farmhouse is still home to our parents. We are proud to call our family farm home to this beautiful venue. It is a truly peaceful and lovely setting for any event.

We are proud to call our Family Farm home to The Homestead on Peanut Road - Weddings and Events.

- Jacqueline Malocu

Our Story

We are the Shenk Family