‘Farm Livin’ is the Life For Me’: This Rental Home Community Along I-35W Embraces ‘Agrihood’

Maybe this is what Oliver Wendell Douglas had in mind when he moved to Hooterville on CBS’s Green Acres back in the 1960s. According to the plot, Mr. Douglas, longing for a simpler life, “buys a farm, sight unseen, and moves there to live off the land, much to the chagrin of his socialite wife, Lisa.”

Maybe Mr. Douglas was thinking of an “agrihood.”

That’s what Scottsdale, Ariz.-based rental developer BB Living had in mind when they joined Harvest, a sprawling agricultural-focused master-planned community on I-35W in Argyle developed by Dallas-based Hillwood Communities.

Everyone involved is all-in on the agricultural-themed events for residents. The place has barns as amenities. Videos on the Harvest website highlight armadillo races.

Residents can grow their produce and take classes at a commercial farm on site with orchards and gardens. The community also features an 11-acre lake, four pools, playgrounds, parks, walking trails, a yoga lawn, workout facilities, event venues, and a dog park.

Better yet, the kids will be in the Argyle school district, not Hooterville.

Harvest is picking up awards for its concept. The Dallas Builders Association awarded Harvest master-planned community of the year in 2017, 2019, and 2022.

Construction is underway and pre-leasing is beginning this month. Homes could be ready for move-in as early as October.

“This new product not only allows families who don’t want home ownership, a chance to live in a great community like Harvest, they are a perfect solution for buyers in transition and relocation buyers new to the area,” Fred Balda, Hillwood Communities president, said in a statement.

“We teamed with BB Living for this new venture because they build a first-class product and experience that feels like an extension of our master plan.”

Don’t worry about Mr. Haney trying to sell you a home. BB Living plans to build 191 homes that range from three to four bedrooms and 1,800 to 2,500 square feet.

“We’ve been doing this for a decade now and have learned a lot of lessons,” Branden Lombardi, president of BB Living, said in a statement. “Our residents want a sense of community and Harvest is very intentional about delivering that.”

This seems like a place that would make Mr. Douglas smile.