Friday night I had some hay to mow for one of my customers and on the way back I got a call from my other neighbor asking if I could help with the antique tractor pull. I said yes and had Steven get my other tractor and we helped out for the night. As a kid I remember helping my Grandpa with the scales for the tractor pulls at our local homecoming festival. It was awesome to get to use my own tractor for the pullback tractor for the sled. We also used my 706 for the scraper that levels the track after each pull. My kids also got to do something that I never got a chance to do at their age, they rode in the tractor with me for a while and got to see the pull from a totally different perspective.
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| Pullback tractor for tractor pull sled. |
We started Saturday morning off by ripping all the old siding off the original barn. What a mess, nails and splintered wood everywhere. However, my buddy Willie had an awesome time doing it and took out some frustrations while doing so.
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| Original barn with all the old siding removed |
Next up was installing all the header boards and rafters while there was plenty of help. We decided to use my trailer as a mobile work platform. It was perfect, no ladders needed for the majority of the rafter and header work. I just moved it back and forth a couple of times as we needed.
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| Scott, Josh, Steven, and Willie helping install rafters for new cow shed. |
Here is a picture of our work from day one. Headers done, Rafters done, and ready to move on to something else.
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| Headers and Rafters installed on new cow shed. |
My wife cooked a simple yet delicious meal to feed the army of help I had here on Saturday. There was one bun and less than a cup of sloppy joe sauce left afterward.
Sunday the army of help was delayed in arrival so after some book keeping work in the house while Scott was completing his barn chores, he and I started on siding the original barn. We started with the easiest side, the short one height wise, as we were both worn out from the previous day of heavy lifting and such.
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| New Poplar siding being installed on old barn |
Right around lunch Steven and Willie arrived to help out and a little while later another friend of ours, Hideki, showed up as well. Hideki came on Saturday as well but it was just as we had finished for the day so there wasn't anything to really do at that time.
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| New Poplar siding being installed on old barn |
Steven and Willie were helping line up the siding and Scott was doing all the cutting. I finally got smart and had Willie bring the fan out to create our own breeze since mother nature was refusing to provide one for us.
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| Steven and Willie helping hang siding boards on the old barn |
Next came the careful task of cutting the Power Poles that I used for the cow shed down to the finished height. These poles are basically entire trees that are debarked and treated to resist rotting and insects and used to hold the power lines that supply electric to everyone. Once they are damaged, lets say by being hit by a car or lighting, or they simply are too old to do their job safely, the power company replaces them. I was lucking enough to find a source for them at a huge cost savings to me. They are also hundreds of time stronger than any post I can readily find at the lumber yard without having something custom cut.
Now, I have had many many people ask why I didn't cut them before standing them up, or cut them before building everything else. Here is why. First of all it is very difficult to get them the correct height before final grade is established. Secondly, and most importantly, I wanted to fasten any rafter or any other board that contacted them from the top down to the posts. This strengthens the structure enormously. To safely cut the tops off, which were extremely heavy, I simply used the fork on the tractor to cradle the portion being cut off and then chained that portion to the frame of the forks as well. As Steven made the cut I kept tension on the chain and as he finished the cut I lifted the post up and away from everyone involved.
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| Willie and Steven attaching post to forks, Hideki being second set of eyes and keeping everyone else out of harms way! |
Here is the finished project. That was our last task on Sunday. Everyone was sitting down for a cool drink and a break before feeding the animals and getting some supper!
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| New cow shed after poles were trimmed down. |
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| New cow shed after poles were trimmed down |
I have a couple of pics of the finished barn siding on the old barn.
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| Old barn with new siding installed |
The one below shows the cow shed after trimming the posts and ready for siding.
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| Old barn with new siding installed |
Berky spent most of her day today making a nest to have her babies in. This time, for a little more privacy, she went all the way down in the bottom ground to make her nest. Hopefully she moves the babies to a shadier spot after they are born tonight so they don't get too hot in the summer sun. If not we may have to intervene but I trying not to. I want to see how they do on their own!
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| Berkshire pig nesting in the pasture to have babies. |
Today it was just Steven and I working on the barn as most everyone else had other things to attend to. We were able to complete the siding for the cow shed and we got 70% of the nailers on the top of the rafters in preparation for the installation of the metal roofing. I should have plenty of help tomorrow for the roofing so we should be completely done with everything accept for the small area of siding over the double doors for the old barn and some misc. wiring and lighting items. If I get a chance later in the week I will work on those, if not, they will have to wait till later in the month. We are hoping to mow second cutting on Wednesday if the forecast holds true for almost a week of sunny weather. So, I need to complete the roofing tomorrow so we can work on the hay and the balance of the party preparations.
On another exciting note, I will be picking up my new disc mower tomorrow. I will have pictures to post.
Goodnight everyone and I will post more tomorrow.
Kenny
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