And on this farm, she had a barn

I love barns.

Since I first learned "Old MacDonald", barns have symbolized ideal country life. I love the way sunlight sifts through loose boards, I love the echo of past animals and barn dances, I love the smell of hay and dust. 

I had hoped that any property we bought would come with a barn but that never happened. Big, traditional barns are expensive to maintain and are falling down faster than new pole barns can replace them. Of the 15 or so places I looked at in southern Indiana, not one had a real barn.

Lick Skillet does have a great barn,

unfortunately,  it's across the street and not ours.

We did need shelter for our proposed sheep and goat friends, so we built a 10' x 15' pole building.

Then I got thinking. What defines a barn as a barn and not a shed?

Our new building is barn red,

houses livestock,

and livestock manure,

and is home to a nest of BARN SWALLOWS!

Hay!* I've got a barn!!!!


*Pun intentional