Since I can't show what I am working on, I thought it would be a good time to share all of our barns with you. Many have asked, so here is a walk about for Barn One which use to be three barns attached. Yeah, back in the day they just stuck something new on - just like the house was built, too.
So why the apple tree? Well we have to walk past it and I am so happy to see this tree in such bloom (and full of bees). I bought this and some other miniature fruit trees (the didn't make it) for my Dad after our big tornado took down our large, mature apple orchard. My Dad was a master wood worker and outdoorsman. The loss of the trees was very sad for us. This clearly was labeled wrong - not a miniature at all!
The South end of the Barn. A massive beauty (English Barn) that has weather many years and many storms. If her wood could talk. It was originally used for equipment storage and has an old grainry area. The top was to store lumber - this was once a lumber milling farm.
This is the East side. This barn is so massive, it was hard to fit her in a frame as far as I could bet back. Love the old glider doors (heavy boogers) and the old hardware.
We are walking to the North end and my brother planted a dozen miniature apple trees , but sadly only four have survived as the wind that whips around this corner just has taken it's toll. We lost our wind break tree lines, 300+ year old Maples and Spruce with the tornado, too. These little gals serve as providers for our deer herd that come to bed down behind this massive barn most summer evenings. **The small white buildings do belong to our neighbors**
The North End and you can see how the wind is taking a toll on the siding. That rather change in wood and pattern, a section of this barn was removed and donated - I will explain later.
Now we come around to the West side. As you can see, the foundation is also taking a toll from it's years and massive weight. BUT those foundations are about 3 feet thick. Not sure when they were added, but I remember them always being there.
Inside - those massive hand-hewn beams are a wonder and probably were cut right from the farm. We steel braced her due to the weight of storing lumber in her upper floor - I was real young when this was done, but vaguely remember.
And just because I thought this was an interesting pattern of post, beam, and warn wood. This discribed this old barn in so many ways!
OK, this is the barn that was removed from the North end of Barn One. This is an Old Dutch design and it was used for our Hay Barn for many years. It now resides at the Old Stone Fort as part of their 'structural' period display. The closed right hand side door opened into another barn which is now in Conneticutt. It was an Old German design with a wood silo attached (now photo of that one) - our milking barn. See, they just added on with the time and heritage of the valley.
Thank you for taking this walk about with me. I will share more of our barns during the week as I strive to finish this project.
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon
I have so enjoyed a stroll with you round the orchard and into the barn. memories of the much smaller one my Dad had, for hay, and the older, really old machinery shed. Farmers today would laugh at the smaller sized chain harrows, plough and discs, and the old seed and fertiliser spreader, towed behind the tractor, Not to talk about the hay stacks, when the hay was pitched to start it off, then the draught horse pulled out the grab on a pulley and it was set on a tall pole. Thanks for sharing, I hope your memories are as happy as mine.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing other people's homes and properties, so different to us in the UK. The apple tree looks like it will have lots of fruit this year, we usually have lots of blossom and then have high winds and it blows all off!!! Have a great weekend and work on your continuing project. Hugs, Susie x
ReplyDeleteFabulous tour and what a treasure. We watch the show called "Barnwood Builders" on History channel I think it is. They take down and rebuild old barns, so the construction you shared here is often shown and explained on the show.
ReplyDeleteYour apple tree should be plentiful this year!
Thank you for taking us, I'm fascinated with your world, so much history there.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful old barns with so much history attached to them. Thanks for the tour.
ReplyDeleteThat is very interesting. Thank you so much for sharing part of your non-sewing life. I love the historic details you shared.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful surroundings! Nothing more photogenic than old barns! Yours is definitely no exception! So fun to see the trees in bloom. Much better than the snow that I saw last! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteHow fun to hear the history of a barn I've seen!! Of course when the barns are attached like that you don't have to get out into the weather when going from lumber to hay to milking...if your weather is anything like ours this week, I would appreciate that!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful trees and barns. Thank you for sharing pictures, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteWow...interesting! Both of my grandfather's were farmers, although my paternal grandfather sold his farm, and I barely remember it. My maternal grandfather was a dairy farmer, and I used to love exploring his barn. Yours is quite a bit larger and looks nothing like his, but it was still a joy to see it.
ReplyDeleteI loved my grandfather's barn, when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tour! Thanks so much for sharing and telling their stories!
ReplyDeleteLots of wonderful character in those barns,lots of history too. Thanks for sharing your walk.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to see the old barns, but the blossoms on the apple trees are breathtaking!
ReplyDeleteThe history of your home is so interesting. It's really a big part of our American culture.
ReplyDeleteMagnificent!! Amazing that these barns were so well built that they can weather the time and the moves!! Thank you, Sharon for sharing some of this wonderful history from your very historical neck of the woods!!
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