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Paternal Gift Farm is an historic farm converted to an unincorporated community located in Howard County, Maryland in the Highland, Maryland ZIP code 20777. The Paternal Gift Farm, Inc is its homeowners' association, and all homeowners are members.
In 1803 Dr. Charles Alexander Warfield patented 510 acres under the name "Paternal Gift" to his son Gustavius Warfield. A colonial farmhouse was built about 1860. The property was sold to Samuel Harding in 1937, and later to Warwick Keegan. The farm house also named "paternal gift" was built by the Warfield family between 1803-1840 when slave plantations operated in Howard County. In 1986 the farm was purchased by Robert W Allen for use as a Country Inn. In 2003 owners Robert Testoff resubdivided the property placing portions into preservation easements, and used density exchange options to add density to other developments elsewhere in the county. A series of crimes involving the cutting of horse tails followed on the farm shortly afterward. The original farm is now subdivided and reduced to 3.748 acres.
The Paternal Gift Farm development consists of 30 single family homes—28 new homes, the farm manager's home, and the original developer's home—on approximately 123 acres (0.50 km2). The property rests on the land triangle made between Maryland Route 216 (Highland road), Maryland route 108, and Hall Shop Road.
Paternal Gift Farm is the recipient of several state and national awards. In 1997, the Home Builders Association of Maryland presented Paternal Gift Farm with two awards: "1997 LDC Award of Excellence" for excellence in design, planning and construction of a small single family development, and the "1997 Overall Project of the Year."
Also in 1997, the National Association of Conservation Districts presented Paternal Gift Farm with the "Outstanding Cooperator Award" for the environmentally sensitive way in which the property is subdivided and for dedicated responsible land management.
The community was featured on an episode of Dream Builders in a segment called "Farms of Tomorrow".