Starting A Large Project - Barn Repair - Part 1
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We undertook a massive job when we decided to repair the 1920s barn that sat on our homestead.
This is part one of the steps that we are taking to repair it. Below you can read about the steps that you also can take to avoid overwhelm when undertaking a project that will take more than a few days to complete!
An Old Barn
I live on a Farm that has been in my family for around 75 years. My great-grandparents moved here with their five daughters in the 50s. When they moved, a large wooden barn sat in the middle of the farmstead. We don't know when it was built, but we think it is over 100 years old.
Built as a dairy barn for six cattle, it has several adjoining pens and an enclosed feed room.
My great grandparents equipped it with an electric milker and lights. It stood as the pinnacle of the Homestead for years sheltering and feeding many animals. But as time went on the family became further and further removed from the land and when my parents moved into the farmhouse, animal husbandry was just not on their plate at that time. And so the barn has set unused for the last 15 to 20 years, gathering dust, mice, and housing barn cats that ran the acreage. Its descent back to the earth was aided by my four siblings and me as we played and threw balls on the property.
When my husband Jonathan and I moved onto the farm at the beginning of 2021. One of the first questions we ask was. "Can that barn be saved?" Most of the family told us no. It was far beyond repair. "Just look at it, they said. It's falling. If we had been able to fix it 10 years ago...."
Of course, we didn't like that idea and after finding the interior bones, to be in good condition. We dove into a project that will end up taking us years to complete.
A New Life
If there's one thing that Jonathan and I do not like, it's watching old barns in the countryside disintegrate into a pile of sticks. That was the last thing we wanted to happen on our farm. And so the first order of business was to remove all of the junk that had accumulated in the stalls of the barn.
Cleaning out the barn
When we started the repair work, we were very overwhelmed. The stalls were full of trash, stored materials, and the bedding of the last animals housed there.
The boards on the walls were cracked, broken, and falling off. The footer of the barn wall was rotting away.
We chose to work in small sections, spending a couple of hours each day cleaning out a space. The large trash on the top was followed by the smaller trash and finally the composted bedding.
The broken boards were trimmed and removed to prepare for new wood to take its place.
Repairing the stalls
The calf stall didn’t need a lot of work on the inside. Just a good cleaning, but the pig pen had a wall that was falling. We removed it and replaced it with a metal gate panel I found on the property.
A piece of metal siding was screwed over the opening of the calf room to stop the cold March wind and we were done. It had taken my siblings and me a week to get to this place. The new calf was still bedding down in the hallway and removing the broken boards had revealed an even bigger problem. The footer on the west end was completely rotten through. It would have to be replaced. So we stopped and made plans for the next steps.
Tips on how to Start a Big Project
When starting a big project, it's important to do some research and planning before you start so that you have fewer encounters with unexpected problems.
I say fewer because when you are dealing with old things on a homestead, chances are you will find an unexpected problem. No matter how well you plan!
Evaluate the situation
The first step is to evaluate the situation. This means going in, getting your hands dirty, and looking your project over. We did this by inspecting all the structural beams and foundation of the barn.
Keep a running list of the problems that you encounter so that you can go back and reference them as you research how to fix them.
Gather the tools
After you have evaluated your situation, and you know what you're up against you should take the time to make sure that you have all of the tools and/or knowledge needed to complete the task.
I can't tell you everything that you will need for your project is most definitely different than mine. But it is very helpful to know what you will need before you begin so that you aren't stuck somewhere in the middle.
If you are just starting homesteading or you're learning new skills with this project, oftentimes you will not have all of the tools or equipment that you need to do your project.
Don't feel like you have to rush to the store to build by the thing that you need. Often the farmer or even the hobby man next door will have the tool that you need and you can borrow it for a couple of days. In this way, you'll be building a community with the people around you and saving yourself some money. You can pay them back by taking them some baked goods or some of your farm produce!
Another thing to consider would be renting the equipment that you need. Most small hardware stores will have a rental program that you might be able to take advantage of. This can often save you lots of money if it is a highly specific tool that you may end up only using once.
We will be utilizing this tip by renting a trencher when we put n the underground water line for our water troughs in the pasture.
Plan the stopping points
If your project is particularly large take the time to figure out where you might be able to stop for the day. How much time do you have to work on your project each day?
By planning a stopping spot you can avoid burnout and feel encouraged when you meet your small goals each day. This is also useful if something should come up in life, and it will, and you need to stop for a longer period. If you have smaller sections to work on, stopping in the middle and coming back at a later time will not be as big of an issue.
Grant yourself time
As I stated in the last section your project will take more time than you hope. Give yourself the grace to allow the time needed to do the project well. Remember that you are doing good work that will benefit your family no matter how long it takes you to get something done.
What project are you working on at your home place? Let us know in the comments below.
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