There is a family barn across the way (in fact I call it The Barn Across The Way) that has been rented out for many years and has just come back to the family. Yesterday actually. And now (she says with a big grin) it is OURS. I want to write MINE (because I am the farmer after all) but for appearances sake I will write Ours. I will let Our John build the fences because there is also a decent patch of grass!!
It is across the unbridgeable ditch so will be awkward to manage but it has such potential.
It is old, but recently painted and has a good new tin roof. 
Some of the really old fittings are still there, the stalls and feeders, and some interesting little rooms.
It has the feel of an indoor arena to it with a central walled space for the hay and a wide gallery all around this for the animals to shelter. Part of the barn is a dirt floor and part of it has concrete which is interesting. 
With this beautiful ceiling it brings to mind a circus tent. 
The paint job is a poor attempt to disguise what will be a bit of work. Firstly many of the windows are boarded up so we will put the glass back in and get some light into the space.
Also on the property is a crib. Not like a crib that is a bach. In the midwest a crib is where they used to store corn before the metal bins.
I will go back and look at this today, there is a very interesting mechanism for moving the corn inside this building, I need to investigate further. 
I am considering taking the fattening chickens and a couple of roosters over to this new barn and once they are settled let them loose to do some housekeeping. I was going to put them in the pot, but maybe I can put them to work instead. Plus I need to get some cats settled in there. There is evidence of rodents. I do not have a mouse problem in my barn here and I am sure it is because of the chickens, roosters and cats. I will be over there every day anyway. Probably riding the Tall Teenagers Bike over there for the summer. It would take about 5 minutes.
Later in the summer the cows will come to this barn and over winter there. I do not have room for four cows in my little barn. The barn across the way is huge in comparison. We have just expanded. How is that for wonderful!
Have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farms
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
89 responses to “Across the way”
Lots of work to be done! Great that it has a new roof, though. I don’t know if I could handle all the potential it brings 😉
I know you are glad to have the barn back, even though it will be more work for you to have animals over there…
Room to spread your wings 🙂 I love that outside the new roof looks so clean & efficient and inside is the wonderful, characterful ceiling. Function and style. A wonderful time to be had, and a little work, filling up the new spaces.
More real estate! I know you will put it to good use.
Well, this certainly is good news! That barn has a lot of character and I’m sure you’ll waste no time filling it with some of your own characters. 🙂
Is there a water spigot over there? If not, how will you get water to the animals that will spend Winter there? I cannot erase the image of you carrying water all about the farmy each Winter and hope that you won’t have to do it at the new-old barn, too.
Oh Cinders, what a gorgeous barn, even with all the repairs it needs, it’s beautiful! You must be so excited! I can’t think of any building or structure more wonderful to walk into besides an old barn! Just the scents, the architecture, the light and just thinking and wondering about it’s history and what kind of animals and people lived and worked in one. Not even to speak about all the hand crafted-ness of an old barn that was built to last for generations….Sigh.
I’ve mentioned this before but in another life you were no doubt an architect. (I’m thinking of The Matriarch’s retirement home.)
I always wanted to be an architect.. c
OMG – me too!! Dad would not allow when we arrived as penniless refugees in this country – not ‘secure’ enough a living!!!!!! It was either medicine or dentistry and I could not see myself looking into people’s mouths for a lifetime 😀 !!
Ooooh goody! What interesting architectural photographs! Barns are so fascinating… all the little nooks and storage places – the weathered wood and leftover gadgets from the old days. I still love to roam in the old buildings on my grandparents farm (which my brother has the home place now). It takes me back to my childhood to walk inside the old barn and remember the mystery and wonderment of it when we were kids. We got in trouble back then, for roaming around the barn, and heaven forbid we got up in the haymow to poke around. We never knew there were rotten boards and we could have fallen through! And the corn crib… those were interesting! I’m excited for you! I can’t wait to hear more and see more of this jewel barn.
How exciting!
I am so happy that your ‘whining’ paid off! Except for those holes in the walls when one gets close, it looks great both inside and outside with lots of practicality – nice for the extra land also! But I DO hope you can solve the ‘crossing the waters’ matter somehow during the summer months – one mile on the bike in your winter months is a long, long way!!! You have not mentioned so hope plonker #3 is well and truly on the recovery trail!!
Oh yes, sorry, Number three is even putting on weight now.. I am pleased with his recovery.. though i am always tentative about saying that out loud.. you know what i mean…
I am still looking at that bottom with that tail 🙂 ! Good weather will help – hmm, how many of us when sick get vegetable soups every day!!!!!
And I have discovered that they will all eat asparagus if cooked, so that is a bonus too, I have heaps of asparagus and it is so healthy.. c
Now you have ‘spoiled’ my day, Milady! I LOVE asparagus and guess what 6 [six] measly stalks in a tiny bunch cost here – you just about have to win the lottery [well, almost 😉 !]
I am very excited for you Celi! Congratulations!
How exciting!! I wish my yard was across from a barn like this and I don’t have cows, chickens or cats:) But I’d love to refurbish something like this!! I can’t wait to see the photos and watch your magic transform the place, c!
THRILLING! Looks like a grand opportunity to reorient room assignments for your various inmates and get better breathing room and work room and play room and all of the necessities in the bargain. Hooray! I’m so pleased for you. Wish I could be there to pitch in with the arrangements, as I’m so fond of fiddling with the functionality and comfort of live-work-and-play spaces and seeing what others do to maximize theirs. Cheers!
Kath
So exciting – and so much work. But you’ll get it done. Hope over to the blog “5 Acres and a Dream” for an Amish whitewash recipe. Apparently the lime in the whitewash inhibits insects, etc., don’t know if it will help with rodents – but maybe worth a try. Can’t wait to see pictures as you go along with the “renovation”.
Chris S in Canada
I am so happy for you and I must say riddled with jealousy. I have loved your barn all these posts and now you have this other beauty! My area just doesn’t have the old barns that your part of the country has. At least I get to live vicariously through you. Happy Barn in-habitation!