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

Bankruptcy Barn

Well, not quite that bad, but you know the old joke:

Q. How do you make a small fortune in the country?
A. Start with a large one.

My thinking, grounded in the economic realities of around 1958, said it can't possible cost that much to build a 10'x15' pole barn if we do it ourselves.

I stopped keeping track of actual costs after about the 5th trip to the lumber yard but all in all this small construction project took at least $850 out of our checkbook even though we applied every frugal trick we have learned in 41 years of living la dolce vita on a budget.

And then we had to fork over the money for

Ivy and Maisie (the ram should be here early July).

We've resolved to put large construction projects and animal acquisitions on hold for now. I think with the garden gone to weed, the pasture overgrown, the large pile of scrap metal in the driveway to dispose of, fire ring to rebuild, firewood to cut, grandkids coming to visit (!!!), and some musical projects of Tom's coming up, we can manage to keep busy and at the same time give the finances a chance to rebloom.

Remind me of that resolution if I start talking pigs.