The genesis of “Farmhouse” dates back to 1997 when Trey and Tom wrote the song during one of several writing retreats they held that year. Beth Montuori Rowles, general manager at Phish, Inc., was tasked by Trey and Tom with helping find a location to write and record new songs. In the liner notes for the
Trampled By Lambs & Pecked By The Dove collection of demos from those retreats, Montuori Rowles detailed the experience, writing:
In early 1997, I got a message from Trey that he and Tom Marshall, his longtime writing partner, wanted to get together to come up with some new material for Phish. They asked if I could help them find a quiet place to write and record some demos. Not really having anything particular in mind, I spent a day driving around north-central Vermont looking for a place that had a good vibe and at least one big room.