The Barn
Barn renovations progress and updates.
When the Elcock’s built the barn that stands in the middle of what is now our property in 1897 it was a commitment. They committed to settling here in hopes of making a living off of the land and passing that land onto the next generation of farmers. The lower level of the barn, built into the earth with a stone foundation, provided shelter to the animals that would help take care of the land and nourish the Elcock family. The loft above would provide room to store the hay that would nourish the animals. This barn is what drew us to this place in 2011. Adrian, the grandson of the homesteaders, had passed away a year before. He was a bachelor who had lived his entire life on this chunk of land. After his passing, the farmer who rented the farmland from Adrian bought the homestead at auction and pieced out the remaining housing eligibilities, keeping the farmland for himself and selling the homestead to us.
The property that we acquired in 2011 consisted of the house built in the late 1800’s, the barn, a few other outbuildings, some usable and some not, and 15 acres of farmland and pasture. It was the right amount of land for what we wanted to do: grow vegetables and attempt to make a living doing it. The barn at the center of the property sold the place. At the time the barn was full of loose straw which was piled up to 15 feet deep in some spots. I have no idea how long the straw had been there, but it was probably one of the reasons the barn was still standing. It preserved the floor from the rain that would come in through the holes in the roof. It took me two summers to get all of it out of there. We didn’t use the main level of the barn for much--the occasional party, a basketball or badminton game, and canning in the fall. Alex, friend of the farm, put a climbing wall in there. The lower level of the barn became the big animal’s home. Keeping them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. That space housed animals for more than 125 years and it showed. I have spent countless hours down there scooping out composted manure. We’ve got another foot and a half to go before we reach the original level of the floor. Doors were hanging on by a hinge and what remained of the cedar shakes on the roof would blow off during any storm. We knew that the barn was going to need a new roof and siding, but it’s hard to make that investment into a structure that doesn’t provide a return. In the winter of 2019 we decided to go ahead and do it anyway.
The first load of lumber showed up in January of last year. The work started in earnest in March. As the workers replaced the timber siding with new pine from the Black Hills, they uncovered a few secrets hidden in the walls. Buried in decades old hay, tucked into a crevice between the upper and lower level of the barn we found a red Velvet Tobacco tin alongside a few glass bottles; one with a white metal screw top with the words “National Distillers” on it and one with a cork stopper with the words “Kenwood Improved” stamped on the bottom. By sharing this with you, I feel like I’m outing someone’s vices that they wanted to keep hidden. He or she kept these in a safe place, far away from the house in a space where they could be enjoyed. I imagine him or her looking out the door of the barn that faces East onto Long’s Creek, like I’ve done many times, to survey the land and animals for which I have assumed responsibility. I can’t imagine what his/her view looked like as I’ve seen Long’s creek carve a new path each time it floods, creating steeper banks and swallowing up fence lines.
The major work on the barn is done. This fall we followed in the Elcock’s footsteps and used the barn to help sustain our farm. We filled the barn with pumpkins, produce, and honey, all harvested from our land, to sell at a farmstand in the north lean-to. Alex and Megan got married in the barn and then had what I consider to be the most ideal wedding reception (other than my own)--music, a bonfire, and gathering of all the people you love. It wasn’t the first wedding that we have hosted in the barn. A year earlier, our friends Jacqueline and Patrick were married in there before any renovations had taken place. Both ceremonies were beautiful and a perfect reflection of the two couples. We’ve made the decision to offer up the barn to other couples looking for a place to get married. We know that the farm isn’t for everyone. There are chickens running around, two full-sized pigs that love wedding cake, and a deer who loves to be around people. It is a place for people looking for a relaxed experience where everyone is welcome.
We made the decision to make an investment in a barn so it will stand for another 130 years. In that time, we hope to share it with as many people as possible. The secrets hidden in the walls won’t just be our own. They will include hopes and dreams of everyone who passes through.
