Considering all the cars that pass through the intersection of Routes 100 and 401, few people realize that situated in the small valley just beyond that intersection is a picturesque and historic farm — Maysie's Farm. The past few years have brought more people to the farm because of the CSA and Conservation Center started by Sam. And most shareholders are aware that the farm's namesake, Maysie Henrotin, is Sam's mother. Many of us have seen Maysie on our pickup days; often she's weeding or raking. But recently I spent a few hours talking to Maysie and learned some details about her fascinating life.

Maysie grew up in Daylesford, PA, the second of five girls in the Morris family. One of her most exciting memories from her youth was a 1940 trip she took with her mother, sister and cousin to Wyoming. They drove out there (an adventure in itself!) and stayed on a large ranch that belonged to a friend of her mother's. Maysie learned to ride horseback, played polo, and helped on the ranch by herding horses, branding calves, and bringing in hay. Maysie thoroughly enjoyed this stint as a cowgirl! She graduated from Agnes Irwin School at the onset of World War II, and became the first local debutante to do war work, making aviation parts in North Philadelphia. Maysie married Pete Cantrell at age 20 and worked briefly as a telephone operator for the Red Cross in New Brunswick, NJ. Then she and Pete came back to Pennsylvania where they both worked different shifts at another aviation plant in Philadelphia. A generation before it was common, Pete and Maysie decided to "get back to the land," and spent the next few years at Kimberton Farms. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Myrin in what is now Camphill Kimberton Hills and the Kimberton Waldorf School, this farm was organic at a time when the trend was toward increased chemical use. Maysie cooked, cleaned, and was in charge of 200 chickens, and to this day has little love for those animals!

Soon the children came: Bark, Sue, Sam, and Charlie were born in a span of seven years. Maysie and Pete bought the farm on St. Andrew's Lane in 1951. It took them a few years to fix up the house before they could live in it; they moved in on Charlie's first birthday. Forty acres of crop fields were leased to tenant farmers. The young family did try homestead farming - they had a cow for milk, a steer for beef, a sow, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, geese and a pony. And always Maysie had vegetable and flower gardens.

Maysie and Pete's marriage ended in the late 1950s, and Maysie began her ten-year career as a bookkeeper at Pepperidge Farm. In 1961, she married Blair Henrotin, an engineer who eventually opened a machine shop in Spring City. Although Blair didn't farm, he made extensive improvements and much-needed repairs around the farm. He also had the swimming pool built, and specified that it be a foot deeper than usual as Maysie was an accomplished diver. (A natural athlete, she was at one time on a national women's lacrosse team, she enjoyed figure skating, and played tennis regularly up until only a few years ago.) Blair and Maysie enjoyed sailing, and it was Blair who encouraged Maysie to pursue her lifelong dream of flying. Maysie got her pilot's license in the early Œ70s and began working the desk at Chester County Airport. She is a past president of the Chester County Aero Club and is still a member of the Ninety-Nines, an international association of women pilots. In 1974 she bought a Cessna 150 two-seater. In this plane she was able to visit her far-flung children — Sam in California, Charlie in Montana, and Sue in Michigan. Maysie's flight log from her 1978 trip captures her spirit for adventure. This journey included thrilling mountain passes, landings at lonely airstrips, and intermittent radio contact!

Besides piloting herself around America, Maysie has also experienced some world travel. She has been to Belgium, Denmark, Scotland and England, including a trans-Atlantic trip aboard a luxury ocean liner. And in 1980 she went to Africa to visit Sam, who was carrying out research in Kenya. She enjoyed seeing the wild animals on safari and, with Sam as a guide, was also able to tour some of the sights that were off the beaten track.

For almost 50 years Maysie has lived in the farmhouse on St. Andrew's Lane. The house is filled with artifacts and momentos of her family's past as well as Blair's. The Morris family traces its Philadelphia roots back to the 1600s, and Blair's family was prominent in American history in the 19th century. The house comes alive with history and memories as Maysie goes through photos, documents, furniture and knick-knacks, all of which hold special stories that illustrate a rich past.

Blair died in 1976, and for most of the following 20 years Maysie lived by herself. It is a mark of her generous spirit that she strongly supports the CSA and Conservation Center with their corresponding influx of people. Although she guards her privacy, Maysie admits she likes having people around the farm. I speak for all the members when I say we're very grateful to Maysie Henrotin for sharing her farm with us.