When Dreams Come True

Growing Garlic, Reflections, The Farm,

 

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View Of Our Farm Across the Adjoining Field

I am so excited!!! Over the last two weeks the vista of our farm has been transformed. WE HAVE A BARN!!! Something we have been wanting since we bought the farm.

As garlic growers one of our challenges each year has been finding space for the garlic to cure for several weeks after it comes out of the ground. The space needs to be dry, out of direct sunlight and have good airflow. We have been very innovative over the last few years to accomplish this, but as our crop size increased each year it became more and more apparent that what we needed to do it right was a barn.

I thought about making this a post about the entire process – including why township ordinances prevented us from building a barn and how we overcame that obstacle, securing the funds, finding a builder, etc… I instead decided just allow you to share in our excitement and give you a photo tour.

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On June 14 my husband hung the building permit as the builders (JP Construction)started working. Woo Hoo!!!

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The site as the work was just beginning.

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Drilling into the ground where the footings would be set. The footings are set 48 inches underground.

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At the end of the first day all of the posts were set. The rest of the boards that are up are acting as bracing.

IMG_4149I wasn’t around much for the actual building but each evening I would check it out and photograph the progress. Little by little our dream was becoming reality.

Various stages of construction – getting closer every day.

 

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View from the loft looking toward the front of our property. This photo was taken before the barn was finished. The 2×4 boards that were bracing the barn have now been removed and we have an unobstructed view.

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View from the dormer over looking our pond.

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Arriving at the farm.

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View from the back of the barn.

 

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The work crew. A job well done. 🙂

My husband has been working on putting in the gravel floor and there are a few finishing touches that we will add, but the barn was finished none too soon, as we will be digging garlic in July and we now have the perfect place to hang it for several weeks while it cures.

Thanks for visiting!

33 thoughts on “When Dreams Come True”

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  2. I love your barn! I can see why you are so proud of it. Do you mind if I ask where you live? I think my hubby put up a new barn each time he looked out one of the windows and saw an empty place. I finally told him the next time he built a barn instead of doing some repair work on the house I was going to move us into the newest barn, especially if it was one for equipment because they pour concrete floors for those. We never had to have a permit for building on the farm but then we were in an extremely rural area out there. A bit closer to town and he probably would have had to get one.
    Looking at the 2.x 4 reminded me of the day I came home from the grocery with my brother who was working on the farm that summer to earn some pocket money. We came up the small hill toward the driveway and both of us were talking about how something looked different, but it was only after we pulled in the drive that we really looked closely and noticed that the Quonset style tobacco barn they were building had blown completely over. They had removed the bracing poles that morning before leaving for their public jobs and a wind had hit the barn just right to blow it down. Just a couple more boards from finishing it, and they wanted to get in immediately when they got home and finish it all, so tried to save some time by knocking out the braces that morning. I can tell you for sure though that if they had ever built one as pretty as yours there would have been curtains at the window and a fully furnished home by the time they got home.

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    1. I don’t mind telling you we live in Michigan. In fact here is my post about it with more details https://donteatitsoap.com/2018/01/19/welcome/ .
      After we went through all the hassle of getting the building permit we found out that we didn’t need one. Our property is zoned agricultural and since we are farming it we fall under the Michigan right to farm act. This supersedes any township zoning ordinances. Our township officials, however, did not find it necessary to tell us that.
      Wow. That is certainly a lesson in the importance of those bracings.

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    1. When garlic comes out of the ground the skins are moist and difficult to peel off. They need to be hung for several weeks so the skins dry out throughout the bulb. They will then be easier to peel and the garlic will keep longer as well.

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  12. Congratulations on your new barn! It looks absolutely fabulous. What an incredible view from the loft! I think I’d spend all day up there just gazing out of the window!

    Brilliant photographs – they help to tell the story.
    GREAT post! ~ Cobs. xxx

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  13. That barn is adorable!!! I love your property- thanks for sharing your pics! Congratulations on a beautiful new building.

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  14. That is a great-looking barn. I love the red color, very cheery. It reminds me of the Red Barn restaurant we used to have nearby. They did a great job putting it together. Now go stuff it with garlic!

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    1. I probably should have a picture of my husband and myself to show how happy we are. One day one of the builders asked me if I had a permanent smile – I just said “We have been waiting so long for this.” I think the builders felt good to know how happy it made us.

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