New Experiences....Old Style...(Part 1 of ?)

Hundreds of years ago when a building needed to be built. Neighbors all got together and it was done. While the men worked, the women would be off to the side making sure that there was enough food to feed the hungry masses. Horses pulled wood, and men used handsaws and measuring tapes to cut pieces of wood. There were no power tools to break the serenity of the moment with their high pitched whine. Larger pieces would be assembled on the ground and then raised into position using the man power at hand. This is something that I would have like to see. Man working with man to accomplish a common goal. Once again, thanks to a great friend, I was able to experience something as close to this as we could get these days.

The sun rose early and hot on the morning of May 26, 2012. I knew as the kids and I left the house at 7:30 that it was going to be a scorcher. Aeryn, Alex and I were headed to meet up with Jay, Lilly, and Kira for breakfast before we headed out for the Long View Farm Barn Raising. Jay had been toiling away for months in the top of his father's barn getting beams notched and cut to fit together in an elaboration jigsaw puzzle of framework that would turn in to a barn to be used as a landing spot for hay and sleigh-rides. We had watched him along the way. It was such an awesome process! I had never seen anything like that done before. 

Breakfast was wonderful, but all too soon it was time to start gathering supplies and heading down to where Jay had already built the floor. Jay headed to his dad's barn to get some things with the truck, Lilly, Alex, Aeryn and I started walking down the road to feed cows along with way. And Kira took the four wheeler. Along the way Kira asked if Aeryn could jump on the back of the four wheeler. How could I possibly deny that pleading look my child gave me? Off she flew leaving Lilly, Alex and I to feed cows. It was okay. Lilly had not gotten the chance to play with them anyway. 

Before long the four of us were standing around the barn looking at it. Soon more friends arrived. With the arrival of Med, Mo, and their beautiful dog Dixie (who did a great job of keeping McKinley company), the first and second pieces were lifted into place.....

Okay so if only it were that easy. I have much respect for anyone who still builds this way. Seriously I will be the first to admit that I had NO CLUE what I was doing. However, I take direction well, and that is how I spent my day. Before Med and Mo arrived we had this wonderful idea of trying to do it ourselves. I am al for "girl power" but there was NO WAY that three women and Jay, who happens to be a reasonably strong guy, were lifting this first piece. Aeryn however was able to get a couple of nice pictures that show that we made a really good attempt!

It was a GREAT attempt. It just was not happening. I had no idea how we were going to get this giant thing that weight about 500lbs into the air in an upright position without killing someone. Before the lift Jay pointed out all of the "danger zones". Coincidentally we all seemed to be standing directly in them. However, I had faith in the ability of man to work together as a cohesive team. That was my mantra throughout the day..."man is a cohesive team". I would like to think that it worked. 

However after Mo and Med arrived it really did go up much easier. With no casualties! It was a pretty proud moment seeing it standing vertically. I felt sure that it was anchored and braced safely because I let Aeryn climb into this picture as my replacement for the lifting crew. Though I am looking at it now and realizing that Mo is not in there either. That's okay there were plenty of great photo ops throughout the day and Mo was in quite a few of them. 

 I know what you are thinking...It is absolutely beautiful! Of course that is what you were thinking. I looked at this lone piece standing there for a long time and could not fathom how this structure was going to turn into a barn It is a testament to shear intelligence. As much as Jay would like to take the credit for that intelligence, I am sure, I give it to the guy who invented the post and beam style stucture. Who looks at a tree and says "Oh, if I make cuts here, here and here and put the pieces together like so, I have a building!"? Really? Who thinks like that? Certainly not this girl. I see a tree and I think "oooh pretty....."

 Now here is the other thing that you are thinking...That all of these pieces are held together with a bunch of really strong nails and glue. Nope! Each piece is specially designed to take into account weight and force, and is held together by wooden pegs. No nails!?! Another moment of genius for the post and beam guy.

Up goes the second piece. By this time we were feeling like pros! There is an amazing sense of accomplishment when it comes to making something like this with your own hands. But I can not imagine what it would have been like to do this out of necessity. Now people have the help of so many technological advances to do the job for them. When we want a barn we call some people and they take some prefabricated panels and stick them together and call it a day. There is no heart or soul to a prefabricated building.



The process was longer. The work was harder, but I think the end result is going to be well worth it. I guess you will just have to wait and see.....