Recycling Barns

Although we're building a new house, we're consciously trying to make it look established on the land. And because we envision using our land to raise our boys, animals and a garden, we're starting to think of our land as a farm. What completes a farm better than a barn (or two or three)?

My in-laws have been on the hunt for old barns or outbuildings that we could move to our land (they're experienced in this sort of thing, having moved several structures to their past two houses). As luck would have it, Robert (my father-in-law) found a farm that is going to be turned into a subdivision (I always hate to see this happen, but that's another post for another day). A stand of barns is going to be demolished unless someone wants to move them. And the best part? They're free!

We took a look at the barns this past weekend. They're MUCH bigger than I thought they would be. And honestly, I'm nervous that Ashley and his dad will be able to pull this off. They will, I'm sure, but it's going to be more work than they originally anticipated.

Barn A (below) is practically a two-story barn, attached to another barn by a three-bay shed.

Barn B (below, in the back) is also large. The three-bay shed is also pictured.

 

And Barn C is probably what I think of when I think of an old farmhouse with a garage out back.  It's the smallest of the three and should be able to moved on a trailer. The other two will have to be dismantled (too tall to go under power lines) to make the move to our property.

We're not exactly sure how we'll use all of these structures. Right now the plan is to use the three-bay shed as a garage near the house (if it seems sturdy enough once it's moved--we don't want a roof on top of our vehicles!). We'll use one barn for our animals (we plan to have chickens and rabbits, along with our dog and cat) and supplies. Another barn may be used for our gardening shed. And the other? Who knows! If nothing else, our land will have character and we'll have the satisfaction of knowing we recycled barns that were built in the 1930s.

As a side note, I found this interesting web site about a man in Pennsylvania who recycles barns, while also promoting their preservation: http://www.barnsaver.com/