A modern day, old fashioned barn raising...can it be done and how?

[SKR8PN]

We didn't exactly have a barn raising, but two of my friends stopped over yesterday to help start the siding on my new shed!! We got the starter strips all up, the two "special" corners done and one wall run to the eves!! They are coming back today to start the back and other side wall! Ya just can't beat friends like that!!
I'll try to get pictures of yesterdays progress, but here is what it looked like this past Sunday. This is a shot of the "special" wall that got the "special" corners. It is the South facing wall, and the entire building is oriented to receive as much sunlight as possible. Can you see a totally solar greenhouse attached to this wall in the very near future? I sure can!!

new floor

during.......

 

[Tallman]

Lookin' good SKR. I especially like the great job somebody did on the floor.

 

[SKR8PN]

That floor was done by my neighbors grandson. During a casual conversation with the neighbor, he mentioned that Jeremiah did concrete work, so I had the boy give me a price. It was a VERY good deal so I decided to give him a shot and let him do the work. Boy oh boy am I ever glad I did. I haven't seen a young man work so hard and take so much pride in his work, in a looooong time. We had to truck all 7 yards of that concrete back to the shed from the cement truck, because of the septic tank location. We started that pour around 8:00am and he didn't leave until 4:00 pm that same day. He HAND TROWELED that floor 4 times throughout the day, to get it like he wanted it. Unbelievable!!

 

[big brown horse]

That is exactly what I want! I need a cement floor due to the rain we get here. (I have rubber mats for the horses to stand on.) My dear neighbor (dn?) has a cement mixer, all I need to do is buy the cement and he would mix it for me. I have a cement rake and the rubber boots already. It would have to start out as a pole barn with a cement floor. I can do the poles easy, but the roof gets too complicated for me. This is where a barn raising party would come in handy!

Free, I like your idea of a freestyle barn raising...come when you can and stay as long as you want. I would provide all the drinks and food, but I love to work too.

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[TanksHill]

We had to truck all 7 yards of that concrete back to the shed from the cement truck, because of the septic tank location.

Was the problem that you could not drive over the tank? Do you have a concrete tank? And how much weight is too much? Just wondering. We have a concrete tank and have driven tractor and vehicles over it. Am I in trouble????

 

[miss_thenorth]

We had to truck all 7 yards of that concrete back to the shed from the cement truck, because of the septic tank location.

Was the problem that you could not drive over the tank? Do you have a concrete tank? And how much weight is too much? Just wondering. We have a concrete tank and have driven tractor and vehicles over it. Am I in trouble????

Our water holding tank is concrete--buried way below the frost line. We too drive over it all the time. Never been a concern to us. ????

 

[SKR8PN]

A cement truck with about 10 yards of concrete weighs almost 80,000 lbs.
My tank is concrete and is about 30 inches down, BUT, it is also over 50 years old, plus the leaching field is right there as well. Our county has new rules you have to go by if and when you replace a septic tank/leach bed, and they ain't cheap rules if you get my drift. I'd much rather do a little extra work to protect what we have, than deal with all the new regulations.

 

[laststrawfarm]

A few years back just after Hurricane Katrina, a tornado went thru the Amish community here. Within days Amish from all over came in by the busload and rebuilt that community. Houses were up in 3 days! The women cooked and fed over 1000 people per day at the community building. During the same time, we watched on TV as some Katrina victims were bashing the govt for not giving them things quick enough. Gimme,gimme,gimme. The prevailing thought was we are all owed something. Then to watch the Amish all kick in and WORK for the community was amazing.
I doesn't seem unreasonable to get some friends to do the same. Or maybe some of your clients who would be willing to barter for your services.

 

[Beekissed]

Speaking of the Amish....you all might get a little laugh out of this picture...I did!

My niece works in a Maryland hospital as a nurse and now has a new co-worker....and Amish male nurse. His wife makes his scrubs and they include suspenders!

AND.......wait for it.....

.....he drives a tractor to work!

Says he's a really great nurse and seems fascinated with her Backyard Poultry mag I got her for Christmas.

 

[big brown horse]

That's cool Bee!

I often thought the Amish should offer a "work camp" for people like us. They could make a lot of money. I would love to spend a week or two learning their ways.

(I know that some of the best farriers are Amish too, and that is right up my alley.)