Why Is White The General Choice For Farmhouses?

When you think of the traditional farmhouse (like many in Central New York) you might picture a sprawling home with wrap-around porch and tire-swing, and we're guessing you also pictured that house being white. But why?

According to Countryliving.com, the choice of white for farmhouses was as much practical as cost-effective.

It all started in colonial times when 'whitewash,' also known as lime paint was used as a way of keeping mildew from growing on the inside and outside of the house.

The lime in the whitewash helped keep funky smells and insects away, as well as preventing mildew in hot and wet areas of the country.

Back in the day, whitewash was an affordable, quick way to spruce up a home.

It also dried very fast and took almost no experience to apply (see Tom Sawyer), so parents could send the kids out to 'whitewash' while more important work was being attended to.

Because of the crisp, clean look of the white farmhouses the idea has lasted hundreds of years, even if today farmers may use white paint designed for outdoor use instead of old-fashioned whitewash.