Our Story




ONCE UPON A TIME...


  • 1799

  • 1890
    A Very Hoppy Farm

    Brickhouse Farm is lived in by the Pindar Family, owners of the largest hops growing operation in the world.
  • 1900-2000
    Several Owners

    Several different families continue to operate Brickhouse Farm as a small scale mixed livestock and crops farm.

FAST FORWARD...


  • 2000
    A Passion is Discovered

    Jen answers an ad in the Washington City Paper for a dog walking job and begins her career in pet care. She helps grow one of the oldest and most successful dog walking companies in Washington, DC.
  • 2002
    Side Hustle

    While an undergrad at the University of Maryland studying pre-veterinary medicine, Jen gets a second job at Friendship Hospital for Animals, a state of the art 24 hour animal hospital. A dog walker by day and a vet tech by night, she is full-on living her dream of working with animals. Who needs sleep??
  • 2006
    A Monumental Move

    Jen moves to Albany, NY and begins working as a vet tech at Parkside Hospital for Animals. Her experience in animal medicine and handling continues to grow.
  • September 2006
    Love Is In The Air

    Jen and Mike meet each other, fall in love and soon after get married.

LET'S MAKE IT OFFICIAL

  • May 2008
    Hounds on The Hudson Founded

    Jen starts Hounds on the Hudson, a dog walking company in Albany NY and blows the minds of dog owners everywhere.
  • August 2009
    A Grand Success

    Hounds on the Hudson sees remarkable success and needs to hire it's first employee--Mike joins the team. Soon after their son, Thatcher, is born.
  • January 2010
    New Services

    Our clients want dog boarding! Jen and Mike turn their city townhouse into a dog hotel. The Bed & Biscuit is born.
  • November 2010
    Happiness Haters?

    The city shuts down The Guidice family's beloved chicken coop in downtown Albany. Jen and Mike create the Albany Chickens Coalition and a nine month legislative campaign to get the chickens back ensues.
  • August 2011
    At least we tried!

    The chickens are gone for good. Jen and Mike begin thinking that it might be time to leave the city and begin searching for some land.

NEW LIFE

  • October 2011
    The Family Grows

    Jen and Mike's daughter Astrid, is born. The two and four legged pack continues to grow.
  • 2012
    Business is Booming!

    More employees are hired. Jen and Mike begin making hard cider in the first floor apartment of their townhouse. The rest of the three story townhouse is absolutely covered in dogs.
  • 2013
    A Dream Come True

    After many Zillow searches and long drives, Jen finds the Brickhouse in Sharon Springs, NY. It is their dream house and they make an offer.
  • February 2014
    Moving In

    The Guidice family moves to Sharon Springs during a blizzard and one of the coldest winters upstate New York has ever seen.
  • April 2014
    The Farm Reimagined

    Jen and Mike begin planting apple trees and restore goats and sheep to the barns. They have more chickens than they know what to do with. Brickhouse Homestead is reborn.
  • June 2014
    The Dust Settles

    After the dust settles and all of the boxes are unpacked, they begin boarding dogs in their 1799 colonial house. The dogs LOVE farm life.

THE BEAT GOES ON

  • August 2014
    More Dog Boarding

    Dogs continue to be boarded at the Bed & Biscuit in Albany and at the farm in Sharon Springs. All of the clients request the farm over the B&B because what dog doesn't want to go to a farm?? The house is once again completely covered in dogs.
  • April 2015
    Renovations Continue

    We begin work on the historic barns on the property, converting them into a cider house and dog boarding facility.
  • September 2015
    Progress

    Work on the barns is finished and we begin pressing our first batch of cider and are now able to accommodate more dogs in a beautiful, newly renovated space. Brickhouse Farm Boarding is born.
  • Present
    More Happy Dogs

    Every day more and more happy dogs get to experience the good life at Brickhouse Farm. The sheep flock is growing fat and healthy on green pasture and the apple trees are rooting deeper and reaching higher. More fences continue to be pounded and new projects are dreamed up almost daily. Tomorrow will bring more hard work, fun adventures and a sound night sleep for everyone. It's a good life.