Old Barn Improvements

[Birddog916]

Hi Hunt Talkers,
I just returned home to California from my farm in Indiana. This trip was all about fixing a brewing problem and I'm glad I got that monkey off my back. I purchased the farm from a family member 2 years ago that has severely neglected basic maintenance on the 100 year old tobacco barn. Unfortunately, poison ivy and Virginia creeper vines were allowed to grow on it and 2 sections of the metal roof had blown off causing rot in the vertical corner posts. The vines and missing sections of roof allowed water to rot the corner posts and making it structurally unstable, luckily we were able to stabilize it. Back when the place was still a tobacco farm the barn used for drying tobacco once cut from the fields. Today, I used it as a bunk house for hunters and as storage for tractors, mowers, tillers, and various other implements. It measures approximately 85' x 36' and is 25 ' high at the center. Here are a few photos of our repair job and the cabin on the property:

 

[Birddog916]

It was also cool to see the cicadas emerging and hear them singing:

 

[Birddog916]

Other off season chores include road grading. This ol Ford has been doing it great for years. I have 2 of these 3600 Fords. They have served the farm well.

 

[Birddog916]

Main Cabin on my aunt's property:

 

[Birddog916]

Some critters:

 

[Ben Lamb]

Turtle & tortoise shell patterns are super intriguing. Old barns are the stuff of history & imagination. Very cool farm, nice work!!

 

[JEL]

Pretty cool place. I have an old barn on our farm that needs work too. I have purchased steel siding and roofing. Just need to figure out how to make it happen. The height and pitch of the roof are a challenge.

 

[Birddog916]

Turtle & tortoise shell patterns are super intriguing. Old barns are the stuff of history & imagination. Very cool farm, nice work!!

Thanks Ben. There are endless projects on the farm. I'm going to replace some more of the barn siding and hit her with paint in the near future. Its a super fun old place with a lot of maintenance to do... that at times can be daunting.

 

[Corn king 60]

Some critters:
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Very important to save those old barns. Mine is 120 years old and still used on our working farm daily.it’s 90 x 60 and the stone wall on the barn bridge side was getting a lean to it. So I tore it down and rebuilt it. That was my APRIL project

 

[Birddog916]

Very important to save those old barns. Mine is 120 years old and still used on our working farm daily.it’s 90 x 60 and the stone wall on the barn bridge side was getting a lean to it. So I tore it down and rebuilt it. That was my APRIL project

That looks like one hell of a project Corn King.

 

[Corn king 60]

That looks like one hell of a project Corn King.

Yeah it was a test of skills. You know farmers don’t like to pay to have someone to do anything. Even though it might take us twice as long

 

[1_pointer]

Kudos on getting the barn repaired!! You at least had good working weather. Humidity, heat, and skeeters really haven't gotten going in Hoosier land yet.

 

[hank4elk]

Cool!

 

[Nick87]

That cabin is cool.

 

[Jason73]

Yeah it was a test of skills. You know farmers don’t like to pay to have someone to do anything. Even though it might take us twice as long

Yep, I'm so grateful for that. Both my grandparents were farmers. I learned so many trades over the years. And a damn good work ethic.

 

[antlerradar]

Very important to save those old barns. Mine is 120 years old and still used on our working farm daily.it’s 90 x 60 and the stone wall on the barn bridge side was getting a lean to it. So I tore it down and rebuilt it. That was my APRIL project

I know just how you feel. Also have a 100+ year old stone barn in need of stone work. Rebuilt built far too much of it over the last ten years. Hoping next spring to finish up.

 

[Corn king 60]

I know just how you feel. Also have a 100+ year old stone barn in need of stone work. Rebuilt built far too much of it over the last ten years. Hoping next spring to finish up.

Yeah it’s just a shame to see so many just left to wither away and fall.
I look at mine and just imagine all it’s been around for if it could only talk to me LOL. I was going to put a time capsule behind the wall but forgot. Don’t imagine many will survive the next 100 years

 

[hank4elk]

I love old barns & restored a few years ago.
One was an ancient adobe from early CA. rancho days,Rios Caledonia Adobe and it is a Nat. Monument now.
My favorite was the octagon barn a group of us worked on with histerical group. That one is still standing off 101 in SLO Town.

 

[JEL]

Current barn project. New tin all around.

 

[BrentD]

I could use that bucket. I have 2 leaks in my barn's roof. Not sure how to fix them.