Old Barns.

[Adam Helmer]

I recently was approached by the Northern Tier Cultural Alliance (Pennsylvania) and asked if they could inspect my barn here on the farm. The Alliance is cataloging old barns because they represent an era of our history that is fast fading away. While driving around this county, I see many barns falling down due to lack of use and maintenance.

My barn was built circa 1856 and has the typical wooden pegs holding the beams in place. The roof is in great shape and the building is painted red. A hay hook runs on a track up at the ceiling for when loose hay was placed in the mow before the advent of square bales of hay. Nowdays the big round bales left in the fields until needed have left many old hay mows empty.

It was 22 years ago today, May 17, 1988, that I bought my farm of 60 acres; half fields and half woods. I like rural life and would never move to any other more urban place.

Adam

[Larryjk]

Adam Helmer, Very interesting information about the construction methods used at that time( wooden pegs holding members in place). My father built a farm in eastern Nebraska in about 1930 that also had the hay sling (hay hook) rail along the top of the barn with the poles and rope that made a sling lying along one side. The rope to move the sling system had pulleys so that horses on the opposite side of the barn could pull on the rope to raise the sling load of hay. My father was a recent day "sodbuster" who plowed up the virgin prairie to start his farm. He bought the land from a corporation held by a man from Chicago that had a large mail order house.

[Jack]

Adam, I'm pleased that you're keeping your barn in good shape. I, too, see many that are neglected and in various states of falling down.
You're right, the modern large circular bales of hay get stored on the ground- no more hauling hay to the barn. More efficient, from the farmer's point of view, I'm sure.
Even silos are becoming obsolescent- many dairy farms now store silage in a large ground level bin.

[Larryjk]

Jack, As farming changed and the barn is not used much unless you have "hobby" horses or some other specialized use, the barns were let go to the dogs. They were not painted and the roof was let go. Then they sag and eventually crumble. Many people don't realize the value of a well cared for barn. It is a definite asset to a farmstead. So many people but farmsteads for the house as a place to live in the country, and can't see the economic benefit of taking care of the other buildings. I am a hobby man and would have my barn busy as heck with all of the things I would have going on if I had a building that big.

[Mr. 16 gauge]

My great Aunt's farm (where I use to do most of my deer hunting) was a "centenial farm" (owned by the same family for 100 years or more). The original house burned down in the 30's or 40's, and my Uncle rebuilt about a half mile up the road.....but the original barn stood until it burned down in the late 80s. It was used for storing extra straw/hay and farm implements (wagons, hay rakes, ect). The new barn was used for dairy operations and hay storage.
As kids we used to play in that newer barn.....my Uncle put a rope 'swing' from the main beam over the door. I also helped them at milking time by putting grain and hay in the mangers and removing what became of it from the trough behind them... As a 'city' kid, I didn't realize I was doing 'work'; I found it to be 'fun'.

While the new barn had some nail construction, the larger beams were put together with either tenon and groove or peg construction. A lot of older barns were dismantled in the area (Northern Michigan) back in the late 70's/early 80's......the farmers were being paid top dollar for the wood, which was used as decoration in bars, basement rec rooms, ect. The larger beams were used in the construction of cottages, summer homes, ect for their "charm".

The only 'modern' building my Uncle had on his place were two steel grain storage units.....even the hen house and corn cribs were made of aged wood, which gave the farm a 'touch of class'.

Thanks for the memories, Adam.....good luck with your farm. Does anyone in your area have a 'round' barn? I've seen pictures, but never had the pleasure of being inside one to look around.

[toxic111]

it is the same up here, you don't see any old barns anymore that are in one piece. There are tons of old barns & farmhouses falling apart on the prarie.

[GoodOlBoy]

I am deeply saddened every day as I drive home and see not only the old barns that are falling down, but the old houses as well. There are MANY old farm houses that are basically abandoned and falling apart around here. Most of them built from old sawmill oak with tin roofs.

I already miss them and they aren't completely gone yet. It's a real shame.

GoodOlBoy