This is the old barn that I wrote about two weeks ago.
When I wrote that post, we had just met with our fourth set of contractors.
I was feeling a bit hopeless on straightening and fixing the barn.
However, after I posted the photos a couple friends kindly cheered the process on.
So…I gave it one more big, whooping effort.
I had four hours to drive so I made phone calls to everyone I could think of in the area.
Through a 9 Clouds Academy friend, I found a website called “Friends of Minnesota Barns” and they had a list of contractors who specialize in this work.
This means contractor #5 is lined up to come for a visit after he finishes his current job in Minnesota.
Exciting!
In the meantime, here are some better pictures of the barn. 
Hayloft
Ground level
The interior of this barn also poses a problem. Right now it is completely unusable for beef cattle. It was used to milk cows and has been unused for several decades. Nothing a little work can’t overcome – but…still a bit overwhelming! We need to remove the dairy stanchions, fill in the gutters and plan pens around existing beams.
Left – East
Right – West
When, I say straightening….this is what I’m talking about. 
It is still challenging to get a decent photo that shows lean. Can you see here how the whole face seems to tilt just a bit to the right? In person, it is about 12-18 inches. 
If we do line up the contractor our first goal would be to straighten it. But, the second goal would be to put tin on it to hold it in place. This might not happen for five years, but long term it would be a priority to preserve the wood and help hold the barn in place.
Plus, the visual transformation would be exciting. Remember the bunkhouse before John and Ron put tin on it last summer? It was just an old garage!
By the time they got done, it looked brand new and added years to the life of the structure. 
The barns at “the Blachford farm” are white with green trim. Or, at least they are supposed to be. Some need a little paint 🙂
At the Four Sisters Farm, they are red with white trim. Or, at least they are supposed to be. Seems like everything always needs just one more coat of paint 🙂 Then, the next year you turn around and it needs another!
Anyway, here’s an example of a red barn with white trim that has been tinned. This is my Grandpa’s and he just had that done a few years ago.
Thanks for viewing extra barn pictures! Don’t you just love an old barn?
Sierra
I would say my level of love for old barn boarders on ‘obsessed’! I have many happy memories from my childhood that revolve around our barn… playing and hunting for litters of kittens in the hay loft, 4-H calves tied up for brushing, sweet baby calves… I love that you’re investigating the options for keeping your barn. Good luck! You must do something crafty with a few of the old stanchions, so cool!
Sierra – This would be wonderful if you could save the barn. I, as well as Elaine, spent many hours there. And our dad would be so proud!
I sure hope that you are successful in saving the barn. So many of them are falling to ruin and it is very sad to see these once proud building disappearing.
Laurel