Overgrown and Forgotten Abandoned Farm Owned by a Famous Record Producer!!

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Puck's Farm
Down a long driveway away from the busy city we find this farm that was previously filled with sounds of nature and the laughter of children. Once a local tourist attraction for families, they had pony rides, a petting zoo and even educational workshops. It was called Puck's Farm.
A jack of all trades Barry Friedman was a record producer, photographer, publicist, farmer and even a circus owner. But his love for music is what drove his career for most of his life.
Born in California in 1941, his first jobs were working in circuses as well as a photographer. After living abroad for a period he returned to California in 1962, where he produced a radio show, while also working as a publicist where he handled a press conference for The Beatles.
He met Stephen Stills while working at the Troubadour club and helped him form the group Buffalo Springfield with Neil Young, among others. Becoming their manager, he organised a tour with The Byrds and ended up working with them on future projects as well.
He was also working as a producer with acts such as Paul Butterfield, Kaleidoscope and the Holy Modal Rounders. In the late 60s, he was also an A&R man for the record label Elektra.
Friedman changed his name to Frazier Mohawk and moved to Northern California to build a studio and mountain retreat funded by Elektra. The centre ended up being more of a party house than anything else and would soon close.
Frazier met and married musician Sandra Elayne Hurvitz who later changed her name to Essra Mohawk. Frazier would produce her second album 'Primordial Lovers', which Rolling Stone magazine would later declare in 1977 as "one of the best 25 albums ever made".
He became burnt out by the music business and moved to Canada in the early 70s where he started a circus called Puck’s Canadian Travelling Circus. Later, Frazier would buy a farm in the country where he would live off the land, and run an education and entertainment centre for families related to farming. It was a well known attraction in the area for many years.
Things came around again full circle when in the 90s he decided to build a recording studio in the barn called National Treasures Recording Studio, which became one of the best in the region. Bruce Cockburn being one of the most notable musicians to have used the studio.
Frazier would pass away at the age of 70. It seems as though things took a turn for the worse around this time, reviews about the facility were mostly negative with a 2 star average rating on Trip Advisor. Puck's Farm would close soon after and the property was last used as a tree farm before closing for good a few years ago.
Maybe this farm will be used again one day but until then the buildings sit, hidden by the overgrowth and slowly rotting away.
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#abandonedplaces
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#exploring

[@kmfsinny8436]

What an incredible place! The stories that go with it are so interesting. Terrific explore James!

[@StaticSpaces]

Really glad you enjoyed it and thanks so much for your comment!!

[@fawnfredenburg5361]

Outstanding video James and wow what a mess 👍❤️😮

[@Pam-cr3bp]

I really enjoyed this one too Fawn!!!! I’m sure I will watch it again ❤

[@fawnfredenburg5361]

Hello Pam 👋Thar is awesome 😁

[@StaticSpaces]

I'm really glad both of you enjoyed it and thank you so much for your comments!!

[@Pam-cr3bp]

@@StaticSpaces you are very welcome!!❤️

[@fawnfredenburg5361]

You are welcome James 😁

[@KimmyLove6932]

Boy this place sure has some history to it eh. A bit of a longer one but worth it for the history. One heck of an amazing explore JH. Big hugs 😊😊. P.S. Pogo sticks are darn difficult at first.

[@StaticSpaces]

Ya, longer than I would normally make but there was just so much to see here! They sure are, I think I will stay away from them from now on, they are dangerous! Lol Thanks very much for your comment!!

[@harrietlivengood6793]

That’s an beautiful farm with enormous outer buildings. I bet that had a lot of joyful times as well as lots of hard work went into that place. This was a very interesting find, thanks for sharing.

[@StaticSpaces]

Really glad you enjoyed it and thank you very much for your comment!!

[@ceciliamackie]

You’re doing remarkable things with your style!

[@priscilla5306]

So sad 😢thanks for sharing wonderful memories! It must have been so much fun when it was open!

[@StaticSpaces]

It certainly was a great place to take kids for a day of entertainment. Thanks so much for your comment!!

[@rpexplorations]

Excellent job telling Barry’s story. Those drone shots really piece the property together. 👍👍

[@StaticSpaces]

Really glad you enjoyed it RP and thanks a lot for your comment!!

[@thegrouchyfish]

Very interesting explore! You're lucky to have visited this place back in its heyday as a child. It looks like it would have been a lot of fun! That's quite the back story on the owner. He lived a very interesting life. I enjoyed the longer format and appreciate the hard work you put in to creating such amazing content! Thanks for doing what you do!

[@StaticSpaces]

I think it would have been a great place for kids but I guess, all good things must come to an end. Frazier's life certainly wasn't boring, that's for sure. Really glad you enjoyed the video and thanks so much for your comment!!

[@FYP054N]

Love this footage ❤

[@StaticSpaces]

Really glad you enjoyed it and thanks a lot for your comment!!

[@Pam-cr3bp]

Loved your funny attempt at the pogo stick 😂. They take alot of practice 😂😂. This video was one of my very favorite ones!!!! I know I will watch it again!! That barn❤️❤️. I absolutely love all that old wood!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️I really hope that someone saves it!! It has so much potential!!!! It would be sad to see both barns rot away😞. I really like old barns.❤️❤️It was really a neat place in its day. I’m sure that a lot of kids have great memories from there❤️❤️. I think it’s really nice you have pictures from there as a kid too!!❤️❤️. I guess I’m saying this video made me smile a lot!! Be safe!!!! Excellent video and still shots!! I really like it when you add them in!!❤️❤️. Pam❤️❤️

[@StaticSpaces]

Ha ya, and I think I am too old to learn a pogo stick at this point in time. I'm really glad you enjoyed this video Pam, there certainly was a lot to like about the barn. Thank you so much for your comment!!

[@Pam-cr3bp]

@@StaticSpaces you are very welcome and thank you for a great video!!❤️❤️

[@brucehauck3707]

I had my weed eater there in the spring to try and find the studio. It truly is quite the place!!!

[@StaticSpaces]

Now that's what I call dedication! I can understand why you would bring it though, some areas are ridiculously overgrown. Thank you very much for your comment!!

[@carlashepherd9362]

Wow what a beautiful place! Awesome video as always! 👍👍❤️🤘

[@StaticSpaces]

So glad you enjoyed it and thanks a lot for your comment!!

[@joanneferguson3401]

Hi James, Yikes the fridge!! Liked the pictures of when you were a child cute!

[@StaticSpaces]

Ya, that fridge was one of the worse ones I have come across. Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you very much for your comment Joanne!!

[@holleehutchins1214]

Amazing video and such history attached to this location. Thank you.

[@StaticSpaces]

Really glad you enjoyed it and thanks very much for your comment!!

[@NativeNYer]

Ty Mr. Static that was an interesting vid. Sounded like a cool place once upon a time. It was cool 2 c u as little Static in ur younger pics! B safe

[@StaticSpaces]

Really glad you enjoyed it NYer and thank you very much for your comment!!

[@fawnfredenburg5361]

Hello James 👋 Wow a longer video ❤️I love it 😁

[@Pam-cr3bp]

I agree❤

[@fawnfredenburg5361]

Thank you Pam ❤️

[@Pam-cr3bp]

@@fawnfredenburg5361 you are welcome Fawn

[@StaticSpaces]

Well I'm glad both of you enjoy the longer videos!!

[@JoshG1234]

As a kid from the GTA, I had heard of Puck's Farm (IT'S FUN!) but I don't think I ever got to go. The Moraine Learning Centre rings a bell but I may be thinking of somewhere else further east.

[@StaticSpaces]

I was in the same boat, I had heard of it but I didn't realize I had been there until looking into it. Thanks very much for your comment!!

[@WakeUp01949]

Interesting place. You childhood pictures of being there was really a nice addition to the history. Ha, you just need a little practice on the pogo stick, lol.

[@StaticSpaces]

I think I would need a lot of practice, I had no idea they are so difficult to use! 😆 Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you very much for your comment!!

[@pollylewis9611]

Death by pogo stick, OK that was one nasty frig. think I could smell it from here Yuk! Was that door called a Dutch door I never did understand them, but cool to see here. This place has such an awesome history thank you for finding out some of it and sharing it with us, also isn't it cool you have pictures from when you went there as a child makes it very real. Thanks for this one and can't wait for the next video, oh I like how you stick in a still picture throughout your videos gives me time to explore the rooms better. Thanks!

[@StaticSpaces]

That was a nasty fridge I think I found the worst one yet, yesterday on an explore. 😆 Ya, I got pretty excited when I was able to uncover those photos and include them. Glad you enjoy the still photos as well, I'll keep including them. Thanks very much for your comment Stephanie!!

[@stephaniemcquillan1930]

Hi. James! Cool farm! Really enjoyed it. Loved going to Open Farms when I was small. You seem to be keen on breaking a bone with these pogo sticks! 😂 Just kidding. Thanks for the video!

[@StaticSpaces]

Hahaha, that's just what I was afraid of, so I decided to quit while I was ahead....didn't really want to go to the hospital because of a video. 😆 Glad you enjoyed it Stephanie and thanks a lot for your comment!!

[@stephaniemcquillan1930]

@@StaticSpaces😂 Yeah, good idea 😂 We’d miss ya while you were laid up! I’m glad you don’t take yourself too seriously and obviously enjoy yourself making these. It’s refreshing to see when there’s so much misery on, and off, social media. Keep being you!

[@StaticSpaces]

When it comes down to it, I am just trying to make something that people enjoy watching, to get away from everything

[@windinthefirtrees8020]

I saw Buffalo Springfield in the late seventies in eugene Oregon. They were the band that sang in the movie the rose. It was about Janice Joplins life.

[@StaticSpaces]

Oh cool, I hadn't realized I knew any of their songs but the first track on their first album, I have heard a lot on the radio. Thanks very much for your comment!!

[@fawnfredenburg5361]

I thought this video was going to be a premier video seems how long it is James 😂

[@StaticSpaces]

It would have been good for a premier video but I wasn't available yesterday for the release unfortunately. Maybe next time!

[@fawnfredenburg5361]

Awesome James and I love your longer videos as well ❤️

[@jenniferkesler4766]

2021 sounds right based on the expiration date on the food can.

[@StaticSpaces]

Must be around that time. Thank you very much for your comment!!

[@carolali8851]

A large company that I worked for had an afternoon out for employees and their families at Puck's back in the late 1980's. My mother lived right up the hill from there so she was able to attend too. The items left behind in the house indicate that children lived there, what a magical place to live for a child. It looks like, with the high rents these days, the tenants may have had trouble finding new places to live and that's why so much was left behind. Frasier's music bio is interesting because Neil Young of Crosby, Stills, Nash lived in this area within 10 kms. It sounds like you might know this area, did you ever go to the Binder Twine Festival? You might have been looking for the term "Dutch Door". Sad to see what happened to this place.

[@StaticSpaces]

You were able to visit this place when it was run by Frazier, that's great. I had no idea that Neil Young ever lived in that area but that is pretty cool! I have never heard of the Binder Twine Festival, what was it? Dutch door, hopefully I can remember that for next time. Thanks very much for your comment!!

[@carolali8851]

@@StaticSpaces The Binder Twine was originally meant for farmers to gather and companies would set up stands to sell farm tools and implements like the twine used to make bales, etc. They had music, food stands and stage performances. Pierre Burton used to host some of the events. A popular event was for housewives to see who could get the longest peel from an apple.

[@Xavierxavou]

Thanks for the visit and for the photos of you ! 😊 ( how old are you James ?) Bravo for the pogo performance ! 😂 À bientôt !

[@StaticSpaces]

I think I was about 4 years old in those photos, so pretty young. Merci beaucoup pour votre commentaire Xavier!!

[@helenr991]

Hi James

[@StaticSpaces]

Hi Helen, thanks so much for your comment!!

[@TrashorTreasure-ie3sz]

Hi James!❤

[@StaticSpaces]

Hey ToT, thank you very much for your comment!!

[@someguy9778]

David Geffen was a film producer and recording producer. He founded Geffen records. He also co-founded Asylum Records and DreamWorks.

[@StaticSpaces]

So I originally posted a little subtotal explaining who he was. Then later on in the editing process I noticed that his name was David Geffin not Geffen, so it must have been a different person. It's funny though because he also had some connections to Elaktra which is the same company Mohawk worked for in California. Thank you very much for your comment!!

[@trinamarshall8027]

Cool place sad place was let go.

[@StaticSpaces]

It's a shame for sure. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks a lot for your comment!!

[@priscilla5306]

The split door is called a Dutch door

[@StaticSpaces]

Thank you for that, hopefully I can remember for next time!

[@ceciliamackie]

Hey! That’s awesome! Let’s connect?

[@StaticSpaces]

Thanks very much for your comment!!