The Home Board

My place includes a beautiful ~125 year old bank barn. After having it painted every few years for the last 26, we decided to have it covered with steel siding. THE regional barn guy is always busy months out, but finally began work last week. He and his sons replaced one 11” beam, splicing in a nice 20’ piece of oak, leveled one corner (raised it about a foot), has covered 3 sides with steel and replaced one of the three doors with modern steel ones. I think they will be done next week sometime. I went to steel siding reluctantly, but I have to admit it looks nice…beyond about 50’ away, it really doesn’t look any different. The only downside I see so far is that it is now very dark inside because no light comes through the walls.

Hopefully this has set up the barn for another 50 years or so…but it’ll be someone else’s problem long before then. I just love the old place and want it to have a chance.

That's a big project but surely one close to your heart.

1. Good for you, saving that barn. Most of them get torn down so the farmer has an extra 1/4 acre.

2. We need pix...

The home place ca. 1950 when I was born. Lower half is Grampa Fox's place, we lived across the road.



The home place when I was a kid in the 60's. Sold when Dad retired in 1975






The home place now, last I knew. ZERO outbuildings.

I hate to see old barns disappearing too. Some of the barns in this area date to the early 1700's.

I happened to mention to an elderly life long farmer friend of mine how I hated to see the old barns go. His observation was that the traditional wood frame bank barn that is prevalent in this area is almost useless to a modern farm operation. So most farmers don't spend any money to maintain them and time takes it's toll on them until they either fall down or get knocked down.

If it wasn't for the Amish and old order Mennonites we have, there would be a lot more of them gone already.

Back about 20 years ago what is left of our family home farm, including the barn and house was up for sale by the the current owners. Mom sold the farm in 1976. I went to the open house, not with the intention of buying it back, but out of curiosity and a bit of nostalgia. Most people went straight to the house, but I explored the barn, where I spent a considerable part of my youth. One thing I noticed was that it needed repairs, in fact it appeared that the last repairs on it were some that I had done in the mid-70's, just before Mom sold it. No idea what shape it might be in today. I'd probably be sad to know.

What a wonderful thread. Got a handful of tabs opened with photos and stories.

The Peanuts have an amazing barn although I have no idea of its type or design.

Barn is finished, the contractor was great— careful, skilled work, and completed ahead of schedule and on budget. Actually under budget because he absorbed a couple of changes I made during the project without charging extra.

He wound up jacking up the sunken corner a hair over 13”, and stabilizing it nicely. It does look beautiful now, although the new steel siding makes the roof look a bit shabby. He thinks the roof is still good for a few more years, even if I quit painting it now.

The downside is that it is dark as a tomb inside now, without all the gaps between the siding boards…and it is hotter inside too. But I will install better lighting in the next few weeks, and all the big new steel doors open and close easily so I just need to remember to open them on hot sunny days.

I’ve got a lot of pics, but posting them on anything but Facebook is beyond me. I can email if anyone really cares.

By the way, Paul I envy you your roots. Thanks for posting the historical pictures of your family homestead!

Bkeepr, if you want to email me a picture or two, I'll post them for ya.

Bkeepr, I'm glad you are happy with the barn renovation, means money and effort well spent!