Luke Bryan turned 150 acres of Tennessee cow pasture into Red Bird Farm with a bass lake, 10,000-square-foot home and 7,000-square-foot barn; the barn is now a haven for rescued animals

Owning a farm was a childhood dream for country superstar Luke Bryan, a dream that he chased even before becoming one of country music’s biggest stars. So, in 2012, when he came across a listing for a former cow pasture in Williamson County, he didn’t think twice. The Georgia-born singer immediately bought the 150-acre property just outside Nashville, Tennessee.Now, the farm is everything that a country home has to offer. Bryan and his wife, Caroline Boyer, transformed the rural property into what they call Red Bird Farm, with a bass lake, a 10,000-square-foot main house, a guesthouse and a party barn that shelters rescued animals. The couple now resides on the sprawling farm, and it is everything he dreamed of, and more.

From cow pasture to country home

The couple bought 150 acres of cow pasture south of Nashville in 2012. “We took 150 acres of cow pasture and turned it into something we couldn’t be more proud of,” the country singer told AD.Bryan had always wanted a lake near his home. Childhood dreams are meant to be fulfilled. So, once they purchased the land, they built one. “As a child, one of my biggest dreams was to own a lake to fish on. I thought that if I could ever have a home that sits on a bass lake, that’s all I would ever need to grow old and grey. Once we found out that the property could have a bass lake, we built one,” he told the publication. Caroline was equally passionate about their dream home. “Everything there is Caroline’s and my brainchild,” Bryan said.Once the lake was dug, they were left with a large amount of rock, 140 tons to be precise. They knew they had to put it to use. So they used some of these stones for the fireplaces. Some went into a sunken courtyard. Others were used to build stone fences modelled on the old Civil War fences common in that part of Tennessee.

Three main buildings

Bryan named the property Red Bird in honour of his late sister. The farm has three main structures: the main house, guesthouse and a party barn. The couple hired Nashville designer Chad James to work on all of them, as they needed someone with a Southern sensibility.The main house, a custom-built mansion, spans 10,000 square feet. While it was under construction, the Bryans stayed in a 1,800-square-foot guesthouse, which has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a stone fireplace. The double-height living room gave them all the space they wanted. The media room, kitchen and a screened-in porch were all built to their liking. The party barn, at 7,000 square feet, holds a golf simulator and a kegerator.Speaking about the barn, the singer said, “We trash the barn and leave the house alone. The barn also has these unique cobblestone floors. They’re great barometers of how much you’ve had to drink. If you fall on the cobblestones, you’ve had too many. I have a golf simulator and kegerator there, and it’s where I smoke my cigars.” A path outside leads to a catfish pond.

The farm now has a rescue space

Brett’s Barn is now a safe haven for animals. Named after Caroline’s niece, Sadie Brett Boyer, who died at seven months old from congenital heart disease in 2017, the barn is part of the Brett Boyer Foundation, which the couple established in her memory.The barn is dedicated entirely to rescued animals. One of its best-known residents is a white pony named Kilo, adopted in Sadie’s honour. The number of animal guests on the property keeps changing. “A new animal shows up, like, every day,” Bryan said during his appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan. The guests include donkeys, pigs, turkeys, llamas and miniature goats.Some of the animals arrive through local rescue groups. In 2019, Nashville-based Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue took in an 18-year-old dog named Poochie after his former family developed allergies. Bryan learned about this online, and they adopted him. Bryan has also said he is not sure how many animals live there.