Historically Speaking by Renee Leininger


MKJ Farm

The hamlet of Deansboro, NY is nestled in the gentle, rich farmlands and rolling hills of Southern Oneida County. Established over 200 years ago, Deansboro was a little bustling farming community with its own railroad station (now listed in the National Register of Historic Places), the Deansboro Cemetery (with its first burial recorded in 1801) and the Congregational United Church of Christ which continues to serve the community today.

It was Deansboro where Buster Hughes established his dairy farm consisting of 97 milkers thus making his farm one of the largest in the area at that time. In 1945 he constructed a barn (unlike no other) that featured a beautiful laminated beam interior-curved structure. This roof was considered the “new look” in farm building architecture and Mr. Hughes’ new “curved roof” barn was the first to grace the county landscape.

The farm was eventually sold by Mr. Hughes and later fell into disrepair. It wasn’t until May 2002 that the farm was purchased by Jack Buschmann, owner of The Village Tavern in Clinton. Jack, an avid horseback rider, always had a love for this particular farm and envisioned it as a unique outdoor entertainment venue with the majestic barn as its focal point. Jack, who doesn’t let grass grow under his feet, put his vision into motion by first renaming the farm MKJ Farm after his three children Margaret, Katie and John. It wasn’t long before his show roster listed outdoor concerts that featured well-known entertainers such as Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Sknyrd, Pat Greene, Eddie Money, Marshall Tucker, Brian Howe from Bad Company and the band Perry.

What unexpectedly made MKJ Farm become a wedding site? Jack was friends with an engaged couple who lost the availability of another wedding venue. Desperate to find a location to host their reception, they approached Jack and asked if they could use his barn. Jack, a warm progressive, problem solving kind of guy, gladly reached out to help his friends and together they created the first wedding at MKJ Farm with these free amenities: beautiful, natural photography backgrounds, breath-taking vistas, fresh air, sounds of nature and a starry night.

In addition to more weddings and other outdoor activities, what’s in the future of MKJ Farm? A name change perhaps since Margaret, Katie and John were later joined by the arrival of a fourth sibling…Alexandra…so an A will need to be added.


Courtesy of Jack Buschmann, Owner
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