Historical records from newspapers and stories from local farm families show that the farmhouse on this property was built in 1879, just a year after the town of Berthoud was founded. Ernest Newell moved into the house in 1899 and brought his bride, Rose, to live here with him from 1905 to 1957. They farmed, raised sheep and made their place an important part of the community. Ernie also became the area historian, writing volumes about the life and times of the residents of Berthoud and the Little Thompson Valley.

Today, Ernie and Rose’s farm is home to Sarah Lincoln and Butch Hause.

Sarah, a now-retired computer engineer, comes from Tennessee where music was always a part of everyday Southern life. Realizing that this farmstead could be more than just a place to live, she founded the Farm Concert in 2002, with a simple hay wagon stage and coffeehouse P.A. system on the shaded backyard lawn. She called every friend she could think of to attend and hoped for the best.

The show was an immediate success and Sarah soon made plans for the following year’s event. What she didn’t plan for was meeting Butch Hause shortly after the third concert.

In addition to being a seasoned musician, Butch, a member of a pioneer Colorado family, is a record-producer, sound engineer, two-time Grammy award nominee, and friend to dozens of nationally known entertainers around the country. He was just who Sarah needed to handle the farm concert’s growing pains. But as they worked together on all things musical, their personal relationship grew as well. They were married on the Farm Concert stage right before the start of the August 26th, 2007 show.

Now, the Farm Concert is a sold-out event that hosts national and regional Americana acts yearly on the last Sunday in August. Which could be the end of the story. But it’s not. It’s just the beginning.

A few years ago, on two consecutive nights, Sarah and Butch had nearly identical dreams that involved a visit from Ernie and Rose. Believing that nothing coincidental happens in a very orderly universe, the concert-producing couple realized that much more needed to be done with this special place to honor its history, to continue the legacy of Ernie and Rose, and to provide a musical haven for the residents of the area.

Together Sarah and Butch started the planning process that would transform their land into a living history park and entertainment venue. After more than five years of effort, Newell Farm Park was established as Berthoud’s newest Town Park on January 3rd, 2023. Sarah and Butch will continue to live on the farmstead while the Park is built around them, and they will have input into the build-out plans. It’s a lofty endeavor, a life-long journey, a labor of love, and, as far as Sarah and Butch are concerned, a must-have for their community.

They’re confident that Ernie and Rose would approve. After all, they’re pretty sure it was the Newell’s idea.